Childhood Friendship
by PhoenixW4Me
Summary: From a garbage picker to the daughter of Kaiba's best friend and then his fiance Kisara has many chalanges to face from the mere age of nine to 18. This is my version of Season 0.
1. Chapter 1

I am so going to hurt myself! I was watching Loony Tunes with my baby brother and got the idea that's coming up here! Sheesh! Phoenix! Stop thinking except for the stories you've already got! But here's the summary.

Kisara's been reborn around the same time as Seto. She's abandoned at six and grows up on the streets eating garbage until she's nine and taken in by a maid of Gozaboro's. Around the time she's taken in Seto and Mokuba are adopted by Gozaboro and meet Kisara. She and Seto disagree on almost everything but soon have to team up to stop a growing evil.

**Home**

**By Sailor Phoenix1997**

Trash cans rattled as a small girl of about nine with long, filthy hair, skin so covered with dirt she looked brown and blue eyes dim with hunger. The dress she wore was more like a potato sack instead of a piece of clothing. Her small hands dug around in the garbage until she found a half eaten apple. She was missing two teeth in the front of her mouth and one was loose on the bottom. She used her nails to cut out small, good pieces and stuff them into her mouth before depositing it into the garbage can again. She wrapped her arms around her bare arms as she started heading into the upper-class side of Domino. She curled herself up on the wall just outside of a large white mansion with a high golden gate.

"Stupid richies!" the girl said to herself as tears collected in her eyes. "With their stupid money and stupid servants! If it weren't for those stupid richies I'd still have Mommy and Daddy." The girl pulled her knees to her chin and started crying on her arms. "I want my Mommy and Daddy back!" She reached into her potato sack and pulled out a Duel Monsters card. "This is all I've got left now." The girl clutched it to her chest and kept crying.

A middle-aged woman with black hair and a silver streak down the side with kind brown eyes walked out of the golden gates. She wore a black dress with a crisp white apron and a stark-white cap. She had a black handbag in her hands and a pair of half-moon spectacles. She came to a stop when she heard the crying of a small girl. She slowly approached the child and pulled a handkerchief from her bag.

"Here dear." The girl graciously took the cloth and dabbed at her blue eyes. "What are you doing here this late at night? Where are your mother and father?" The girl pointed towards the sky as she wiped her eyes clean of dirt. "Oh. I'm sorry." The girl handed back the soiled handkerchief. "Do you have a place to go tonight?" the maid asked as she placed the cloth into her purse. The girl shook her head. The woman clicked her tongue. "That'll never do." She gently grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her up until she was standing next to the woman. The woman took out a cell phone and called her husband to pick her and the girl up and after hanging up she used her apron to wipe the dirt from the girl's face. It left red marks where the woman rubbed too hard but underneath all the dirt was beautiful pale white skin. "What's your name?" The woman asked as a black car pulled up towards them.

"Kisara." The car came to a stop and a window rolled down to reveal a man of similar age to the woman and that had a similar hair color.

"Rachel. Who's this little lady?" the man asked.

"This is Kisara. She'll be staying with us for a while Roland."

* * *

><p>Kisara woke up in a soft feather bed with silken sheets and warm blankets. She was dressed in red pajamas with little black Scottie dogs and snowflakes all over the red cotton. She was also clean so her white skin looked like a new pearl and her white, seemingly blue, hair smelled like wild roses instead of garbage. She climbed out of the bed and slipped her pale toes into a pair of bunny slippers. After living with Roland for a month she'd gotten used to a life of fine things. She'd been enrolled in a private elementary school for girls, dance lessons in both hip-hop and ballet, violin and piano lessons and an etiquette class. She'd even learned a few martial arts techniques from Roland to be used only for self-defense and never to purposely hurt another.<p>

Kisara walked down the steps to the kitchen where Rachel was making waffles.

"Care for some dear?" she asked holding out a plate stacked with a few waffles, some strips of bacon and a few scrambled eggs.

"Yes please and thank you." Kisara took her seat next to Roland who was hidden behind the newspaper. The kitchen's red walls matched Kisara' pajamas perfectly and the white windows made her look a tad darker in comparison. Kisara picked up her napkin and fork and began to eat after cutting her food like a young lady.

"How do you like them?"

"They're very good," Kisara said after swallowing. Roland quickly snatched a strip of bacon from her plate but instead of playfully getting mad Kisara just laughed.

"Roland dear. Can I speak to you in the hall please?" Roland put down the paper and followed his wife. Kisara busied herself with her food as the adults discussed something in the hall. She heard her name and the word "home" used multiple times. She began to eat slower until the two came back into the room. Rachel noticed how slowly Kisara was eating and ran her hand over Kisara's snowy locks. "What's the matter dear? You know you've got violin lessons today right?" Kisara nodded.

"What was that discussion about?" Kisara slapped a hand over her mouth. Rachel sat down next to Kisara.

"Well. Roland and I have no children of our own. And you've lived with us for some time now." Kisara's toes tightened in her slippers. "And we were wondering-"

"If you'd like to make this permanent before summer," Roland said as he took another strip of bacon from Kisara's plate. Kisara's eyes widened and she smiled and nodded. She threw arm petite arms around Rachel's neck and laughed out loud.

"Thank you! Both of you!" Rachel stroked Kisara's cheek.

"Now. This summer is when your lessons end for a short time. You'll have to come with one of us to work." Kisara looked from Roland to Rachel. She knew Roland was a security officer at Kaiba Corp, even though he could be Chief instead of just an officer, and that Rachel was a maid for Gozaboro Kaiba, who'd recently adopted two boys one of which was Kisara's age.

"May I go with you Rachel? I mean mother?" Kisara said smiling. Rachel nodded.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This is about Kisara getting adopted by a very familiar face so she's very close to Seto while he's growing up. She'll also be getting close to Mokuba but just wait. This book will involve a few more times during the Yu-Gi-Oh series where Kisara does her father's job for him. Mainly protecting Seto and Mokuba. Or even being the victim herself.**


	2. Chapter 2

**First Meetings**

**By Sailor Phoenix1997**

Kisara's fingers fidgeted for the millionth time as Roland stopped the car just outside the Kaiba mansion. Kisara made sure her teal-blue Indian dress was good enough to be seen in. Her sleeves were short and each inch-long strip had it's own intricate design. Around the front of her hem was a pattern of green, red, and gold sequins which also encircled her neck. Her ears held a pair of sapphire earrings on the lobes about the size of a pencil's eraser. On her neck was a bronze bird with a single ruby eye, four rubies on it's wings and tail, eighteen tiny orange topaz stones also decked the wings and five light green stones about the same size were placed on various areas of the bird. Her legs were covered with black leggings according to Indian culture and black leather flats decked her feet with small bows near her skin. Over her shoulder a black purse hung to her hip.

She smiled and waved at her father as he blew kisses towards his girls and drove away. Kisara smiled at her mother as she took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Something wrong dear?"

"Just nervous I suppose," Kisara replied quietly. Even though summer had started hot Gozaboro Kaiba wasn't about to change his idea on a proper maid. Rachel was dressed in the same long-sleeved black dress with a crisp apron and white hat on her head that she'd found Kisara in. The mansion was beautiful in Kisara's eyes, mainly because it was something her mother worked on and everything Rachel did was beautiful to Kisara.

The rosebushes that were blooming with bright red, pink, gold and white buds lined the long walkway to the house. The columns were Grecian in style and the windows each had a plant box in the front filled with beautiful tulips. Kisara noticed that there were a few blue tulips blooming among all the other colors.

Inside was even more dazzling to Kisara than outside. The plush red carpet probably could've swallowed her up to her knees and the gold walls were spotless. The white banisters were shining in the light of the house. Kisara noticed that at the top were two boys. One had black hair, long like a girl's, violet eyes and dark skin. He wore a pair of blue shorts, black sneakers and a green t-shirt, perfect for summer.

The second boy couldn't have been any taller than Kisara herself. He had brown hair that partially fell into his cold, blue eyes. Most of it fell neatly down the nape of his neck though. He wore a yellow long-sleeve sweater, a blue sweater-vest over it, a pair of jeans and a pair of white sneakers. His eyes looked Kisara over with a scowl.

"Good morning Miss Rachel!" the younger one shouted.

"Good morning Master Mokuba," Rachel said with a smile as she took off her black flats and replaced them with a pair of black clots that she was to wear inside. Kisara looked back up at the smaller boy who was smiling at her. "This is my daughter, Kisara." Kisara made a polite curtsy and slipped off her shoes, following Rachel's example. "Kisara this is Mokuba and Seto," Rachel said gesturing to each boy in turn. Seto nodded his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "She'll be here every day this summer." Kisara walked up the stairs in her bare feet and came to a stop at Mokuba who'd hidden behind his brother out of shyness.

"Hello Mokuba," she said with a gentle smile. That was enough to coax out the small boy. She extended her hand to the boy. Mokuba gave it a friendly shake. "It's nice to meet you. I've heard so much about your little pranks on Hobson and a few of Seto's professors." Kisara covered a giggle as Mokuba's cheeks flared red with embarrassment.

"It's not that much."

"Really? I think the bananas taped to the bottom of Hobson's shoes was funny. Heard he was slipping all over the place." Mokuba joined her in laughter this time. Seto just shook his head. "And you're Seto. The reason you two got adopted right?" Seto nodded.

"All that you need to know about me is that unless you're worth talking to I won't waste my breath." Kisara tightened her shoulders and opened her mouth to retort but thought better of it.

"If that's the way you think, I don't care if you listen to what I've got to say or not. I'll speak to you if I so desire. I have a right to do so and I have mind enough to use my tongue." Mokuba looked at Kisara with wide eyes. Never had anyone spoken to Seto that way. Seto's eyes glared daggers at the girl who returned the stare. Mokuba could practically see the sparks between the two clashing, neither gaining or losing ground. Neither willing to give in.

"Um. So Kisara. What do you like to do in your free time?" Mokuba asked. Rachel shook her head and smiled as she walked off to work. Kisara pulled out of her purse a Duel monsters deck.

"I like Duel Monsters," That grabbed Seto's attention, "Although I can't find anyone at my school who wants to play against me." Mokuba looked at the deck in awe.

"What's your favorite?"

"Well I've got a few," Kisara sat down on her knees on the carpet and shuffled her deck. "My favorite dragon is this one," she drew Red-Eyes Black Dragon from the top and lay it on the floor in front of Mokuba, who'd bent down until his bum was almost touching the floor. "My favorite warrior is this one," she placed Gaia the Fierce Knight next to the dragon, "Then my favorite fairy," she placed Fairy Archer down, "Then my favorite Spellcaster," she set Maja Vailo down next to the others. "But these are my favorite from my deck. I personally would like to see a Blue-Eyes White Dragon. I hear it's the most powerful dragon alive!"

"It is," Seto said bluntly. Mokuba rolled his eyes and poked the black dragon.

"So your current favorite is this Red-Eyes?"

"Yep. Since I can't seem to find the Blue-Eyes I've settled for the opposite one or the peer dragon to the one I want to see."

"Cool. Seto also wants a Blue-Eyes White Dragon," Mokuba said looking up at his brother. "Right bro?" Seto looked down at the floor, away from the two.

"That's my business. She doesn't need to know." Seto sharply turned on his heel. "If you'll excuse me I have lessons." Kisara put down her deck and stood up.

"Lessons? But it's summer!"

"You think I don't know that you ignorant girl? I chose to do this because I think it's worth the time, unlike some who think that letting the summer fly by wasted on movies and junk food is perfectly fine." Kisara's fists clenched.

_"Ignorant? Who's he calling ignorant?" _She let out a deep breath then glared daggers again. "Summer doesn't have to be all that Seto! It could be used to have a little fun with family and friends and you can still have time to pleasure read and learn new things." Seto turned to her and smirked. It wasn't friendly but not cruel either. It seemed to say, "I'm better than you and we both know it." Her shoulders tensed and rose to her ears.

"That's the way I see things Kisara. See ya," he vanished down the stairs and into one of the many rooms.

"Why that stuck-up, know-it-all, snob of a boy. Not even a boy. I doubt that smirk was even human." Kisara threw herself onto the top stair next to Mokuba who was looking through her deck at her other monsters and magic cards. "Geez. I was in a good mood too. Then he had to come along and ruin it. And it's only nine in the morning." She looked over at Mokuba. "Enjoying yourself there?" Mokuba offered her the deck. "It's okay. I just want to know if you're liking doing that." Mokuba nodded.

"You've got some powerful deck. I mean, Maja Vailo's powers could be doubled, maybe even tripled with some of these cards." Kisara smiled.

"That's why he's my favorite." Mokuba handed back the deck with a smile.

"Seto dabbles in Duel Monsters every now and then." Kisara put her deck away.

"He does?" Mokuba nodded.

"His cards aren't the greatest but at least they're his. And with his strategies there's no way he'll ever lose!" Mokuba sounded so confidents in his brother and looked so cute with his fists clenched in excitement and turned slightly away from her Kisara couldn't help but smile.

"More like with his over-sized brain and ego," she said more to herself. She decided to change the subject. "Why don't we go outside? It's a beautiful day." Mokuba nodded.

"I've got a few games we could play. And I can get Mary Marie to pull off the tarp on the pool if you've got your swimsuit." Kisara nodded and patted her purse. "Great. I'll be right back. Just gotta get changed. There's a bathroom just down the hall on the first floor. Second door on the left-hand hall." Kisara nodded and walked down the stairs.

She opened the second door on the left and peered inside. It was anything but a bathroom. Brown bookshelves were covered with books and the walls were hidden in the shelves. A few teal-colored couches and mahogany tables were placed around the room to read on. A few books had been left on a table along with a chess set, all prepared for a game. Kisara walked in. A few shelves made a sort of maze-like wall leading deeper and deeper into it's depths.

Kisara froze in her tracks as she heard voices drifting from the other side of yet another shelf. She removed one thick book and peered through.

Standing a few feet away, next to a large fireplace, was a man just about as tall as Seto himself was. He was bald and had a pair of orange glasses on his face that was much too small for his head. He was dressed in a butler's outfit and a mauve bowtie.

Sitting at a desk was Seto surrounded by books and an older man, probably in his mid-forty's, was sitting a few feet away reading from a large book.

"Now, an atom is divided into three pieces. Electrons, neutrons, and protons. Electrons have a negative charge, protons have a positive charge and neutrons have a neutral charge." Kisara shook her head in confusion.

_"Why's he telling this to Seto? He's only a year older than me and how the heck can he understand this stuff?" _Kisara thought. Seto moved his pencil over a notebook while nodding at what the man said.

"Seto," the bald man said, "DO remember you're being tested over this." Seto gave the man a hard look. Kisara's breath froze in her throat as Seto locked eyes with her for a second.

"I know that Hobson," Seto said in a very irritated voice. He made a gesture with his hand for Kisara to leave and moved it under his cheek so fast Hobson couldn't see it. He turned his attention to the man. "My apologies professor. You know Hobson. Please continue." Kisara backed away and tip-toed out, dropping the book at the door.

* * *

><p>Mokuba wiped the water from his face as Mary Marie, a girl just about sixteen with long ebony hair and gray eyes dressed in the same attire as Rachel pulled off a blue tarp from the pool.<p>

"Have a good swim sir!"

"Okay! Tell my brother to join us if he gets the chance!" Mokuba called as he started back paddling. His green swim trunks stood out against the blue pool water as he looked around for Kisara.

"Hey Mokuba!" She was standing on the top of the diving board. Her swimsuit was sky-blue under her chest and had a short skirt with about two inches of white following the same bright color as her eyes. Over her chest was a five-pedaled flower with red, orange, yellow, blue and violet petals. Her skirt had the same colors changing in tiger-strips over the white. The ties on the back on her neck were blue and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. "Watch this!" Kisara jumped, spun in mid-air and made a perfect dive into the water. She came up right in front of Mokuba and wiped the water and a few escape hairs from her eyes.

"That was awesome!" Mokuba said. Kisara smiled.

"Thanks. By the way, I just saw Seto in the library. What's up with protons and neutrons and electrons and that sort of junk?" Mokuba looked towards the house.

"My brother's gone through a lot since Gozaboro adopted us. Mainly because of his lessons that take up most of his time. Every time Seto starts falling asleep during his lessons he gets more free time taken away. Like the first time he did it, he lost his weekends."

"That's horrible! How can someone be so cruel to a boy?"

"Ask Gozaboro. But Seto's been going through this night and day with little rest because he wants what's best for me. When our parents died he told me he'd be a father to me from now on. But I like Seto as a brother instead of a father." Kisara swam to the side of the pool and pulled herself out of the water.

"You're lucky you know."

"Huh?" Mokuba followed her example.

"I was orphaned when I was six. I had no older or younger siblings to be with. My father was a successful businessman but because his company was being bought out he left me and my mother when I was five. My mother died a year later of cancer. My maternal aunt said she'd take me in but once you don't have the face of a cute little baby anymore you're dog meat to her. So I ran away. I've been living on trash since then until about three months ago when Roland and Rachel took me in." Mokuba's eyes widened at her story.

"Why'd you run? You had a roof over your head and-"

"I wanted to find my father. I didn't know his name but I could spot him in a crowd of a million. He gave me a Graceful Charity card that I still have today. That's my favorite magic card. It's a memento from my mother and possibly my father. That's why I'll never trade or sell it."

Mokuba sighed. He didn't know how to respond to this story. His mother had died after he was born and his father had died not too long ago. True it hurt Mokuba to think of his father but it was dull to him. Seto had known both their parents so the sting was worse for him. This girl still had hope that her father was still alive and still loved her. Even though she hadn't seen him in four years.

"Well. Um." Mokuba moved his toes under the water. Kisara looked over at him with a kind smile.

"Don't worry Mokuba. True it hurts when I think of them. But I know my father's out there somewhere. But I let myself be adopted by Roland and Rachel because if he isn't I do need help in being properly raised until I'm 18. Then I can try to find out who my father is." The ravenette didn't look up. "Mokuba, I want to show you something okay?" The boy looked up as Kisara stood and offered a hand.

"What is it?"

"One more thing my father left me. It's a very special puzzle that I want you to see." Mokuba took her hand and followed her to one of the chairs that held her clothes and purse. She opened the bag and pulled out a silver box with carvings all over the sides. She pulled off the top and showed him the contents. Inside were pieces of silver and a few blue gems. A few dozen were curved and others were straight.

"Whoa. Your father gave you that?"

"He told me just before he left. This puzzle's been in my family for generations and not one person has solved it. It's been passed down from parent to child ever since it was created over five thousand years ago."

"Where does it come from?" Mokuba asked taking out a blue piece. It was shaped like and oval with sharp points at the end.

"Egypt."

"Whoa, your family came from Egypt?" Kisara nodded.

"I think this puzzle belonged to a wealthy lord or Pharaoh."

"How do you figure?" Kisara shook the box a little and pointed at the carvings.

"These are hieroglyphics. SO the person had to be wealthy enough to know how to read and write or wealthy enough to hire a scribe. And silver is more valuable in Egypt because copper and gold come from the mines. Commoners wear copper while high ranking nobles and Pharaohs wear gold. In fact, lapis lazuli and gold were considered the colors of the king." Kisara pulled out another blue gem. "That's what these are."

"So that would mean that you could be the rightful heir to the throne of Egypt?" Kisara started laughing lightly and smiled.

"I suppose. But I'd have to check my family lineage. I think I've got a couple of cousins here and there that could also lay claim to the throne. And anyway, Egypt isn't a monarchy anymore. I doubt that if I was queen they'd allow me to take over the place." Mokuba nodded.

"Yea. I suppose. But it's still cool. I mean, not every kid's got a friend who's a descendant of Egyptian royalty." Mokuba made a polite bow but Kisara smiled and pulled the boy into a hug.

"Oh Mokuba, you're so sweet," she said squeezing the boy.

* * *

><strong>AN: I think that was pretty good. And I decided I'm going to involve some season 0 with my own twist in this. And this is my first pre-canon and post-canon. Anyway. So sorry about taking forever with this chapter. Every time I tried to write it, it just came out worse and worse. But I finally decided on this. Hope you like it and please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Cerberus: Hey readers, Cerberus here. Pheonix is currently in the corner drawing swirls on the carpet due to lack of desired reviews. Trust me, the way I'm explaining it, it is way less depressing than it really is. I even tried ticking her off with the abridged series Kaiba from episode 56 but she was totally unresponsive. I'm serious, it is scary. But to help out with the openings, I've asked for a few of Pheonix's absolute favorite characters to come.**

**Kisara: I hope she gets out of that corner soon. That positioning is no good at all for her back. **

**Cerberus: You think it looks bad? Try being her Yami. I'm almost ready to draw swirls on the carpet in a corner. Yikes, she's scary. But she's thinking up an idea from the next chapter from The Red Pyramid for another story she hopes to work on after she finishes Hunting Hunters. And yes, you two are the main shipping. I just hope that she gets enough reviews before she ends the story and Hunting Hunters so she can write it and I don't have to. **

**Kisara: Aw, you do care. **

**Cerberus: Seto, please excuse me for my shouting at your dragon. Of course I care! She's my Hikari!**

**Seto: Review so our darling doggie friend doesn't have to write. What he works on is atrocious. **

**Cerberus: Do you hear me arguing!?**

**Seto's Secret**

**By Sailor Pheonix1997**

Kisara snuck a peek into the library and sighed when no one was around. She tip-toed in, pulled her puzzle box out from her purse and took a seat on the couch. She pulled out two small pieces and started trying to fit them together. The moonlight shone through a small gap in the curtains before her, lighting the silver pieces in her hands almost like soft nightlights as they fit together perfectly.

"I got it!" she squealed as she clutched the pieces to her chest. They made a sort of loop that she could fit a rope through to wear the puzzle like a necklace. She picked up another piece and bent slightly over her work, too engrossed in what she was doing to notice someone else walking into the room.

Kisara straightened up just in time for Seto's head to land in her lap. She pulled in a quick breath before relaxing.

_"He'll realize he's on me soon enough," _she thought to herself. But Seto didn't move in the least. She felt his arm just behind her and the rest of him was spread over the couch. Kisara put down her puzzle as her mind screamed at her to shove the boy off but her body responded differently. She turned him over and gently ran her fingers through his bangs. _"What am I doing? Bad body! Stop that!" _But she found that the more she did it, the more she liked it. Seto's face was calm and peaceful instead of the hard and mask-like one she'd seen earlier that day.

She smiled a little then noticed a small, brown rope around his neck. She pulled on the cord and revealed a small pendant made of silver with a football-shaped piece of sapphire or lapis lazuli, she couldn't tell, near the bottom. She replaced it under his shirt and rested her hand on his chest as Hobson walked in with a textbook.

"Is that for Seto?" she asked harshly. Hobson nodded. "Well then. When's his next lesson?"

"In one hour miss."

"Then come and wake him up when he's got five or ten minutes left. It's almost eleven at night and the poor boy's tired. Let him rest, at least for a while. You can leave his textbook here if you so desire. If he wakes up before you get back, I'll have him take a look at it." Hobson placed the book next to Kisara's puzzle box and silently left the room. "Some people." She returned her attention to Seto. "Why would anyone want to push you this hard? You're just a kid. Not even Roland or Rachel push me that hard. They always make sure I have plenty of time a day to be me."

After a while she returned to working on her puzzle.

* * *

>Seto's eyes opened slightly when the gentle touch stopped. Instead of the small girl in a blue dress he knew he should've seen, he saw a young woman – possibly in her early or mid-twenties – with long white hair, dressed in white linen and a silver falcon headdress, holding a small bundle in her arms. He blinked and the image faded, allowing the white-haired girl he'd seen that morning to be seen working on something in her hands that looked suspiciously like a large oval with the corners cut off and a part going down on the side.<p><p>

Then he realized he was in her lap. He jerked himself up, making the poor girl jump in surprise and drop the silver puzzle on the floor where it broke into its original pieces.

"I thought you were asleep!" she said with a hand to her chest.

"Almost," he said but he didn't look at her. He kept his face away from her in order to hide the deep flush of red that now colored his cheeks.

"You scared me is all," she said as she bent down and picked up her puzzle pieces. Seto still didn't even look in her general direction. "Hobson dropped off a textbook for you but came in a few minutes ago he came back saying your tutor called in sick so your lesson's been postponed until further notice." Seto looked at the table and picked up the textbook, accidentally knocking over her puzzle box on the floor and on her head. "You're not very coordinated, are you?" she giggled, rubbing her head where the box had hit her. Seto bent down and started putting the pieces away.

"Sorry. I just… have to make sure I don't fall behind," he said. Kisara stopped picking up the pieces and looked at his face, now a normal shade, and almost lost herself in the depths of his blue eyes. He moved his head so his bangs fell in between her eyes and his and she gave herself a shake.

"Fall behind? But you already know so much. All that stuff about proteins and neutreins and elecriens-"

"You mean protons, neutrons and electrons?" Kisara started chuckling and Seto joined in a little.

"Yea, that. I didn't understand a word of it today when you were studying. And I'm in an elite girls' school."

"Where do you plan to go after elementary school?"

"Rachel said I would be going to Domino Middle School and then I'll be trying to get into Domino High school. I hope they let me in." Seto's hand continued moving on its own accord, despite him being slightly caught up in Kisara's eyes as she stared at her tiny, bare feet in slight embarrassment.

"As long as you don't mix up protons, neutrons and electrons with proteins, neutreins and electreins, I think you'll be fine." The two started laughing again just before Seto's hand came to a stop over Kisara's. The two stopped laughing and stared at their hands before snatching their hands back and turning so their backs faced each other. Seto pretended to be interested in the buttons on his cuff while Kisara ran her fingers through a few strands of hair and her cheeks turned every possible shade of red.

They remained like that until Rachel walked into the room with a tired smile on her face.

"Kisara. Time to go dear." Kisara jumped up and placed her puzzle box, including all its pieces, into her purse.

"Good evening Seto. I will see you tomorrow," she said as she spun on her heel and walked over to her step-mother. Seto nodded his reply, still feigning fascination in his cuffs as Kisara left the room.

"Good night Seto. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Have a good night Miss Rachel," Seto said as he stood up and picked up his textbook again. Rachel closed the door as Seto opened his book and found that it opened to the middle where the rest of the book was carved out for a secret compartment with a note and a few brown, gold and black cards inside. "Mokuba," he whispered.

* * *

><strong>Cerberus: Well, that was Pheonix telling me what she wanted. She's still in the corner playing with the carpet.<strong>

**Kisara: Aww, cute Blueshipping moment there!**

**Seto: Yea. The dialogue sounds like a real conversation but I am NOT that clumsy! **

**Cerberus: Don't yell at my depressed Hikari, Kaiba! It was for the sake of the story so swallow your dang pride and put up with it! Please review so my Hikari will come out of her corner and actually shout at me for something!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Pheonix: Thank you all so much for the reviews! I've loved them all so so much! Today though brings me down badly. I have less than two weeks left until school starts again but I know that school gives me something to do for eight hours but it cuts into my writing time.**

**Cerberus: At least I'm a Yami and I can do what the heck I want to when you're at school.**

**Pheonix: Have a heart!**

**Kisara: I doubt you're going to get much compassion out of him. **

**Pheonix: You're right. I'd have better luck kidnapping Mokuba.**

**Seto: Just try.**

**Pheonix: It was a joke. Yeesh. Well, here's the next chapter and with school coming up, I might not be able to update as often because it's a new year it's going to get much harder. Please review!**

**A New Day**

**By Sailor Pheonix1997**

Kisara peeked into Mokuba's room and smirked at the small lump under the bed with black hair poking out from underneath. She bolted into the room, leapt onto the bed, and grabbed the lump and started shaking it.

"Mokuba! Wake up! You slept in! I've been here for ten minutes and you still need to wake up!" She yanked the covers off the lump and almost fell off the bed with surprise. Under the blankets was a pillow and lumps of black clothes. "Ha ha ha," Kisara said as she pushed herself up and dusted off her white t-shirt and denim skirt with a red, gold and white floral leaf design with the hem falling to her mid-calves. A black and brown blur shot out from under the bed and tackled the white-haired girl.

"I've been waiting for you to show up for half an hour to play that joke!' Mokuba said before the two started laughing.

"Silly goose," she said tousling his hair and standing up. Seto opened the door and looked in.

"I thought I heard yelling."

"You did." Kisara did a double-take of what Seto was wearing. His entire suit what stark white with gold buttons going down his front and a gold Chinese design on his neck. "What in the world are you wearing? It's supposed to be 90 degrees today!"

"Does it look like I have much choice? I hate this as much as the next guy but that doesn't stop my father from trying to get good publicity using me and Mokuba. I just managed to convince him to leave Mokuba out of this one." Mokuba smiled at his brother and Seto gave a kind look in return before turning. Kisara noticed a light red mark around his collar and a dark bruise almost hidden by his hair.

"Mokuba, I'll meet you after you've changed and eaten. I want to talk with your brother for a moment." Mokuba nodded and Kisara bolted from the room after Seto. He'd stopped on the stairs and was unbuttoning his shirt and rubbing his neck. The gold design on the collar had rubbed the skin red and raw. Kisara took a seat behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

When he didn't push her away she rested her forehead against his back.

"I want you to know that no matter what Gozaboro does to you, I'll be there if you need me. Even when you don't think you need me." Seto sighed and looked at the girl leaning against him. She looked up and locked eyes with him, but saw him instead in a tan tunic with a dark neck hanging on his collarbone and dark wrappings around his arms. She blinked and the image vanished.

"Thanks," he whispered as he stood up. "The publicity stunt should only take an hour or so. If it's alright, I'd like to spend my free hour with you and Mokuba. Maybe we could go swimming?" Kisara smiled.

"I'm all set for it. When's your free hour?"

"From noon to one. Maybe one thirty if my instructor's late. I just hope that they get whatever bug's going around so I can spend some more time with you two." Kisara made to stand but her skirt kept her from moving. Seto extended his hand and she took it with a smile. The touch sent a gentle warmth through both their bodies but it went unnoticed.

* * *

><p>Seto sat on the edge of the pool and watched Kisara and Mokuba swim.<p>

"Seto! Get in here!" Kisara called. Seto shook his head. He was dressed in a pair of blue swim trunks that had yet to feel the water on them. "It's twelve fifteen! You have forty-five minutes left in your free hour so get in here before I make you!" she said as she swam over. Seto shook his head again as Kisara grabbed the edge he sat on. "Alright then. You've forced my hand." Kisara grabbed his wrist and shoved off the edge with her feet, pulling the brunette into the cold water.

"Are you insane!" Seto demanded as he resurfaced. "It's freezing in here!"

"It's not so bad once you get used to it," Kisara said, shoving water into Seto's face.

"You're going to pay for that one," he said as he tackled her under the water. Out of surprise her leg flew up and hit him hard in the area.

"I am so sorry!" she almost screamed as they resurfaced.

"I guess I had it coming," Seto said as he swam towards the edge.

"Don't you dare get out of this water or else it won't be an accident!" Seto gave her a surprised look as she swam up to him.

"You wouldn't dare," he said.

"Try me. I've had to do it quite a few times when I was fending for myself." Seto shook his head.

"How long do I have to be in here?"

"Until lunch in fifteen minutes. Then you have to stay in the pool area until your hour's up." Seto rolled his eyes as Kisara swam back over to Mokuba.

* * *

><p><strong>Pheonix: Alright! We have a little bit of Kisara being tough. Next few chapters we really get into the whole Season 0 thing. Trust me, this will be good. <strong>

**Kisara: Please review! I can't wait to see what Pheo has planned for Season 0's twist!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Pheonix: Impatience has struck again! We're almost to Season 0. Just wanted to put in this last chapter from the childhood section. If I feel like it, I might go into the manga version and continue with a couple other books but I'm not sure. Cerberus, got anything to say?**

**Cerberus: No.**

**Pheonix: I guess we'll start that chapter!**

**Threats**

**By Sailor Pheonix1997**

Hobson stood by the gate as Seto, Mokuba and Kisara climbed out of the pool, dripping wet and shivering somewhat.

"What is it Hobson?" Seto asked as he started drying off.

"Your step-father wishes to see you Seto. All three of you actually." Seto's eyes narrowed.

"For what reason?" Hobson turned on his heel.

"He simply told me that he wanted to see you boys first, then Kisara privately. And I'd hurry if I were you, you know that he's a very busy man." With that, Hobson walked away, barely bending his knees.

"You know, you see some people who're going to be late for their planes doing that at the airport. It's like they think we can't see you look like an idiot running with stick-straight legs all the time," Kisara said as she dried her hair. Seto sighed and shook his head.

"I'm just curious as to what he wants with the three of us," he said staring at the window that showed his step-father's office.

* * *

>Kisara peeked into the dining room as Seto signed what looked like a contract. He looked rather uncomfortable in his white suit again. She'd watched Hobson push in a covered cart, only to reveal it inside the room as stacks of money. Another test to see if Seto was ready for having the Kaiba name. She looked up at him, seeing something in his eyes besides hatred; determination.<p><p>

"You two may go now. Hobson, send in that Kisara girl at once."

"Yes sir. Come along boys," Hobson said shooing the boys and the large man that now stood at their side, away. The man almost loomed over Gozaboro, had dark brown hair and cold black eyes and a large goatee. He stood almost as if he'd had a few rulers strapped to his back. Kisara jumped away from the door and ran a hand over her clothes to make sure they weren't wrinkled as the boys came out. Seto locked eyes with her and a slight shimmer of worry shot through them, so fast, Kisara almost didn't see it. "Miss Kisara, you may come in now," Hobson said.

Kisara took a deep breath and followed Hobson into the room. He didn't offer her a chair so she remained standing as Gozaboro stared her down.

"You wanted to see me sir?" she said.

"Indeed I did. As I understand you're Roland's little girl, correct?" Kisara nodded.

"Yes sir I am."

"And just what, may I ask, is your relationship with my son?" Kisara's hands twitched.

"There is no relationship sir. Only the fact that I care for him and Mokuba and want them to be happy."

"Happiness doesn't have its place in the corporate world."

"Why bring that up? As far as I know you bring Seto into the public eye in order to increase your public image. He and his brother have been through quite a bit because of you, haven't they?" Gozaboro stood up, knocking his chair back.

"What did you say?!"

"Don't play dumb. I saw that bruise on his neck. I doubt he got it while putting on his own clothes. He said he managed to get Mokuba out of the publicity stunt and I bet that it took quite the beating from him, didn't it?"

"How dare you, you little-"

"I have a right to speak Mr. Kaiba! I'm as much of a citizen here as you are! I'm sorry if you can't take the truth from a nine-year-old girl and face it like a man, rather than a two-year-old! Mokuba acts more like a man than you have shown me through all my time here!" Gozaboro looked as if he was ready to throw something heavy at her but took his seat again.

"I hope you realize that your distracting of Seto is coming to an end now. There's no room for friendship or your so-called 'emotions' in the world of business!"

"I'm not distracting him! If I was distracting him during his free hour, I bet he'd have told me! And as for you, Mr. Kaiba, I bet that you're going to be very sorry for your treatment of Seto! He's only ten but he's already more of a man than you'll ever be!" Kisara spun on her heel and headed for the door.

"Come back here you!" Gozaboro roared. Kisara looked back with a bored expression.

"I'm sorry Mr. Kaiba, I have grown quite bored with you. Now, I'm going to be with my friends and stay as far away from you as humanly possible!" With that, she slammed the door shut behind her and stormed into the hall. "I have never been so insulted in all my life!" Mokuba peeked around the corner.

"Kisara, are you alright?" he said. Kisara turned to him in surprise.

"Yes Mokuba. I'm fine. But your step-father's just a jerk!"

"You think we don't know that? Seto wanted me to find you and bring you to the library. As our friend, he wants you to know what's going on with us." Kisara nodded as Mokuba took her hand and started pulling her towards the library. She smiled so her eyes closed and when she looked at him again, he was dressed in a white linen tunic and had gold on his wrists. She blinked and saw Mokuba as he was. "By the way, what did Gozaboro tell you anyway?"

"He said that there wasn't room in your guys' lives for me or friendship or anything like that." Mokuba stopped pulling and threw his arms around Kisara's waist.

"That's not true! We _need _you to be here for us! Please don't listen to Gozaboro!" Kisara placed her hands gently on Mokuba's shoulders.

"Don't worry Mokuba. I'll be here when you guys need me." Mokuba looked up into her eyes and smiled.

"Thanks Kisara. And if we're going to be friends, I want you to call me Mokie."

"Alright Mokie. Now, let's get to your brother before he sends a search party to find us." Mokuba chuckled, pulled away and took Kisara's middle and index fingers in his hand.

* * *

>Seto looked up from placing his cards on the floor as the door opened slightly, letting Kisara and Mokuba enter.<p><p>

"There you two are," he said standing up and smiling. "If you'd taken any longer, I would've sent a search party for you two." Kisara giggled.

"Seto, I know the mansion well enough so I don't get lost," she said in a slightly scolding tone.

"I know you do. Come here, I want to show you something." The two walked over and looked over Seto's cards. He'd set fifty face-up and fifty face-down.

"So what does Gozaboro want you to do?" Kisara asked.

"He wants me to turn ten million dollars into a hundred million by this time next year," Seto explained.

"How are you going to do that? I don't know about you but I don't normally see ninety million dollars just lying around a house." Seto chuckled.

"Kisara, this is a test of my business skills, not my picking through the couch skills."

"So what's the plan?" Kisara asked.

"Simple. A company is just like a game. The point is to own more pieces of stock from a company than anyone else."

"How do you do that big brother? I mean, how do you make sure you've got more than everyone else?"

"Easy. The magic number is fifty-one. That way no else can possibly own more pieces than you. That's how you win," Seto said flipping one card over to illustrate his point.

"Oh, I see," Kisara said. "But how is that going to get you a hundred million dollars in a year or less?"

"Simple, Leichter," Seto said, turning to the man in the corner. Kisara almost jumped in surprise to see him there. "Take all of my money and use it to buy 51% of a company."

"What kind of company sir?" he asked. Kisara detected a light southern accent.

"Any kind as long as they value their employees." Leichter nodded and left the room. Seto took a seat on the blue couch and sighed.

"Are you alright?" Kisara asked taking a seat on the arm. Mokuba flanked her.

"Yea, I'm fine. Just a little nervous I guess."

"About what big brother?" Mokuba asked. Seto looked up at them with a smirk but didn't see them in their modern clothes. Instead, he saw them dressed in white linen standing next to a wall of gold. Seto blinked and the image faded.

"Kisara, school starts for you in a week or so right?" Kisara's face fell slightly but she nodded.

"Yes. I'm a little scared but I hear it'll be fine. What I really worry about is you guys. I won't be able to visit every day like now. Are you going to be okay against Gozaboro?"

"We'll be fine. But you're as much a part of this as anyone else," Seto said with a smirk. "Feel free to drop by whenever you want to."

"I promise I'll come by when I have a day off and all my breaks," she said. Mokuba hugged her around the middle again.

"You'd better," he said with a devious smirk. "We'll be expecting you." Kisara ran a hand over his black locks tenderly.

"Don't worry. I promise I'll be here every single Saturday and Sunday I can."

* * *

><strong>Pheonix: And there we have it. That ends Kisara's summer and our childhood sequence. Next, we enter Season 0. And I hope you liked the whole images thing. There'll be more of those as these three grow but only when they're really together again in a few years. And no, Seto is not going to have green hair. I thought that was actually kinda creepy how they made him look almost like Noah without Noah even being in the manga! And remember, this is going to be slightly twisted, and I'm sorry to all of you who wanted to see Yugi in here, but there won't be any normal Yugi. That is, if people want him to play Season 0's Mokuba's part. Yikes. Just thinking about it, makes me feel all weird.<strong>

**Cerberus: Come on lady!**

**Pheonix: Will you please?! Jeez. You're simply horrible.**

**Kisara: Not nearly as horrible as Gozaboro though.**

**Seto: He'd have to sink pretty low in order to be considered in his zone.**

**Cerberus: You're unbelievable! **

**Pheonix: Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Pheonix: Yay! We're at Season 0! And people, please remember, this is a twist kind of like my YuGiOh The Other Side is twisted around. This will also be twisted in a similar fashion. But we won't be having Yugi or Atem as the bad guy. No. It'll be someone a little more unseen. And we don't have Shadow Games. We have Hikari Games.**

**Cerberus: You just did that in order to get some attention! Hikari means light in Japanese!**

**Kisara: Oh stop it! I like the idea of a Hikari Game instead of a Shadow Game. It fits me just fine.**

**Seto: Of course it would. Your dragon is practically _made _of light. **

**Kisara: Thank you.**

**Pheonix: Alright. Alright. Let's not start fighting. Here's where we lose Seto and Mokuba for a bit – Sees angry mob with pitchforks and torches- But we'll see them in a couple of chapters! **

**Cerberus: Please take her out so we can all get some sleep. /Pheonix tackles Cerberus and holds him in a headlock/**

**Pheonix: Please review while I kill my Yami. **

**First Hikari Game**

**By Sailor Pheonix1997**

Kisara, now at fifteen years old, sat at her desk with a deck of cards. A few were placed out before her in a game of Solitaire. Outside, boys in gray uniforms with gold buttons down the front and girls in orange jackets, white shirts, and lime-green skirts and matching bows were all either playing basketball or gossiping. Kisara was perfectly happy where she was. She set down the deck of playing cards and pulled out her silver puzzle box and pulled out an old picture of two very special boys that lay just on top of the silver and blue puzzle pieces.

One was a brunette with blue eyes, slightly lit up with pleasure and dressed in jeans and a yellow shirt and blue sweater-vest. The other was black haired with dusty violet-blue eyes and slightly tanned skin. His eyes were glowing with happiness and he was dressed in a yellow sweater, blue bandanna and jeans.

Kisara ran her fingers over the picture and sighed.

"Four whole years. I can't believe it's been that long since we saw each other Seto," she whispered. She placed the picture on the corner of her desk and wiped her eyes, now filling with tears as she picked up the box. "But even without you and Mokuba around, I somehow find it inside me to work on this puzzle. I also found out what the markings mean. 'This is something anyone can see but only two can feel it.' So you may ask, what is it Kisara?" Kisara picked up the box. "Well, the answer would be-" The box was snatched just as Kisara began to open the lid.

She blinked before looking up at a boy with brown eyes almost hidden by his messy blond hair. He was dressed in a pair of blue pants, a white shirt and a blue jacket left open.

"Joey Wheeler," she said.

"Kisara, what da heck are ya going on about? 'Anyone can see it but only two can feel it'? What a bunch of crap." Kisara stood up from her desk and reached for the silver box.

"Alright Wheeler, you've had your fun now give that back," she said reaching for the puzzle but Joey lifted it higher out of her reach and gave it a toss. Kisara gasped as the box flew through the air. Joey jumped over one of the desks and caught the silver box in his hand again. "Honestly, treasuring something like this. You're such a girl Kisara," he said turning towards her again as she walked up to him. "Look, that type o' attitude is nevah gonna gecha anywhere in dis world. Ya need ta be able ta stand up fer yaself. Come on, ya want this back right?" he asked shaking the box. "So come at me with all ya might."

"I hate fighting!" Kisara shouted as loud as she could. Joey covered one of his ears and let out a groan.

"Ya got no guts, but one heck o' a set o lungs."

"Please Joey, give back that box."

"Alright Joey, that's quite enough." The two turned to a darker skinned boy with brown hair collected in the front in a spike and brown eyes. He was dressed like Joey but had his shirt buttoned.

"Oh, ya want something? If it ain't the freshman class president fail, now Janitor club leadah, Tristan Taylor." Tristan's face twisted in anger.

"It's not the Janitor club, it's the Beautification Club!" His words got louder and louder with each word. Joey covered his ears again.

"I don know which o' ya is loudah." Tristan crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.

"True, I wasn't voted freshman president but I've been reborn as a better man. One that is devoted towards-" As Tristan continued on his way Joey moved closer to Kisara.

"At any rate, what ta heck's in dis box?" Kisara smiled, believing Joey had gained a real interest in it.

"You can look if you'd like, but please don't lose anything in it. That's a very important treasure to me."

"Are you even listening?!" Tristan demanded as Joey took a peek inside the box. He dropped his shoulders and sighed.

"Seriously? Dis is ya treasure?" A pale, feminine hand shot out from the hall and grabbed the box from Joey. The girl in question was dressed the same way as Kisara, had jaw length brown hair and bright blue eyes.

"Gardner!"

"Téa," Kisara said relieved. Téa walked over to Kisara and faced the boys with a piercing glare.

"If it's boring then return it at once. Honestly, picking on a girl. You're the boring ones!" she said.

"I wasn' pickin' on her. I was just tryin' ta-"

"Quiet Wheeler!" Joey flinched as a pale violet-haired girl with big blue eyes and a yellow ribbon in her hair appeared in the doorway and gasped. Téa handed the box back to Kisara who took her seat again.

"Oh, Melody," Tristan said, his face turning a bright shade of red.

"Sorry about that Melody. I didn't mean to shout at you."

"I was just a little surprised. The lunch line is so long right now, I haven't been able to get any lunch." Tristan grabbed her arm gently.

"That's no good. I'll go get you something."

"Wait. I'm comin' too," Joey said. The two boys took off down the hall.

"Honestly," Téa said as she poked her head out the door. "Those boys are going to bite off more than they can chew one day."

* * *

>"How stupid can ya get?"<p><p>

"Don't speak that way about Melody!" Tristan barked.

"Who's talking about Melody 'Ribbon' Jones? I'm talking about Téa. Téa Gardner. Seriously, who's bullying a girl?" Joey said sourly as he and Tristan ran into a large boy that loomed over both of them with dark eyes. On his arm was a red band with the words "Public Morale" written in black.

"Did I hear something about bullying?" he asked. Joey gave him a hard look.

"It's none of ya business ya-" Tristan slapped his hand over Joy's mouth.

"It's nothing Mister Trudge. Please be on your way." Trudge's eyes narrowed but he passed them by.

"Bullying is against school rules, remember that."

"Yes sir. Understood sir." Trudge stopped a few feet away.

"Oh and remember to keep your uniform crisp, clean and tucked in."

"Yes sir!" Tristan said as Joey began clawing at his friend's hand for air. Trudge turned and left the boys alone. "That was close," he muttered as he let go of Joey. The boy grabbed his throat and started huffing in air.

"Ya jerk! What da heck was dat all about huh? I coulda suffocated."

"You're a moron, you know that." Joey gave Tristan a confused look. "That guy is Tetsu Trudge. Leader of the Public Morale Group here. He's big on rules and even made a few of them. He's quite the amazing person."

"Keh," Joey said placing his hands behind his head. "I bet he just does dat in order ta get cash outta da younger kids. No one would believe the freshmen about him being a bully."

"You are such an idiot!" Tristan roared.

* * *

>"Téa, thanks for coming to my rescue," Kisara said as her brunette friend sat down in the chair in fornt of Kisara's desk. She placed her elbow on the desk and her cheek in her hand.<p><p>

"If I act all soft, those two'll pick on me. Kisara, as much as I hate to agree with Wheeler, you do need to toughen up some." Kisara looked down at her hands where her old picture was now clasped tightly.

"But, Joey's not all that bad of a guy."

"You know, that attitude is what makes them love picking on you so much." Kisara nodded, understanding. "On another note, what's this thing. Wait a second. Don't tell me this is the box you kept talking about during our hip-hop dance lessons when we were kids." Kisara nodded.

"Yep, this is my treasure. Not only because it's fun to work on when I'm bored but because it's my last gift from my father."

"Yea, your dad," Téa's eyes looked sad for a second before she perked up.

"Also, my dad told me that it has been handed down through the family line for generations. And it came from Egypt."

"Egypt?"

"Yep. See all this silver? Only someone of great wealth could've owned it. I bet my family is descended from a great Lord or even a Pharaoh. See these markings on the side here?" Kisara said pointing at the front side. Téa nodded. "Well, I figured out what they say. 'The three that solve my puzzles shall gain the power to grant their deepest wish.'" There was a moment of silence before Kisara burst out laughing. "I guess I said too much." She locked eyes with Téa. "You think I'm dumb. I can see it in your eyes." Now, it was Téa's turn to laugh.

"No way. But what did you wish for?" Kisara chuckled lightly.

"Sorry Téa, but that's a secret that I'm going to keep alright?" Kisara winked at her friend.

* * *

>Joey opened his fist and the window next to him. In his palm was a small, football-shaped blue jewel.<p><p>

"What's that?" Tristan asked.

"I grabbed it outta Kisara's box. I only managed a glimpse but I think it's a puzzle. So in other words, without dis piece, her so called treasure is lost."

"You know Joey, you've always seemed like a hopeless guy but now I know you're hopeless. Can't you do anything without bullying someone?" Joey gave Tristan a relaxed look.

"Why're ya reprimanding me? Weren't ya gonna buy lunch for a certain lady?" Tristan made a confused look then almost screamed as he remembered Melody not having lunch.

"Oh NO!" he shouted as he took off down the hall. Joey turned to the window that just overlooked the small river outside the school. He gave the jewel a toss and watched it as it sunk to the bottom of the river.

"Honestly Kisara, get your priorities straight," he muttered.

* * *

>The sun had begun to set by the time Kisara was headed home.<p><p>

"First! We serve to protect the rules!" Trudge shouted. Before him were four rows with four boys each. All of them had the same armband on their right bicep. All of them punched in front of them as if attacking an enemy while shouting "Serve, serve, serve!" "Second, we fight to protect justice!" The boys kicked in front of them while shouting "Protect, protect, protect!"

_"Oh, it's the public morale guys. Better steer clear of them," _Kisara thought as she headed for the exit.

"Just a minute you!" Kisara froze in her tracks and bit her lip.

_"What am I doing? When I was younger only my parents could boss me around. Now I let anyone tell me what to do. What the heck happened to the backbone I had when I faced Gozaboro?" _Kisara turned around as Trudge walked up to her.

"Your name's Kisara Isona right?"

"Yes sir, it is."

"Tell me, have you been picked on at all?"

"No sir, I haven't. The only issues I've been having are being prepared for pop quizzes." Trudge let out a light chuckle.

"Those are hard to prepare for, but I bet someone like you would say that they weren't being bullied. But there's no need to worry now Kisara. From now on, I, Tetsu Trudge will be your bodyguard."

"I really haven't had a problem with bullies! Excuse me! I have to go or I'll be late for dinner!" Kisara turned on her heel and ran off down the street as fast as she could run. _"What was up with that? What a weirdo!" _Trudge smiled at a thought that ran through his head.

"There's no need to worry Kisara. With me as your body guard, your school life will be all rose-colored."

* * *

>Kisara opened the door to her home and pulled off her shoes.<p><p>

"I'm home father!" she called as she walked into the kitchen, slightly surprised to see who was at the table with her step-father. "Téa!" The brunette smiled.

"Has it really been so long since I came over to play?"

"You're a little late Kisara," Roland said with a light smile.

"Sorry about that father. I can start on dinner if you like."

"No dear. I ordered a pizza for us." Kisara smiled and took a seat at the table. "By the way, Téa, you've grown up so much. How're those dance lessons coming?"

"Very well Mr. Isona, thank you."

"And Kisara, I heard from Téa that you still haven't given up on that old puzzle."

"Who would give up on such an amazing challenge? I've been trying to solve it since I was five! I feel like I'm close."

"Well Kisara, I just think that puzzle's a little beyond human comprehension. I also did a little research and found an interesting story from Egypt. Long ago there was a white dragon that lived within a small family. From time to time, they'd go by the names Body, Mind and Heart. They challenged people to these things called Hikari Games. They always won and their opponent would either die or go completely insane, screaming about the Hikari Games and the White Dragon with the Blue eyes." Téa shivered.

"Kisara, if you ask me, this puzzle sounds dangerous." Kisara picked up her puzzle box from her bag and looked it over.

"See those markings on the back? I also took a look at what those mean. Apparently they say, 'The seconds that solve my puzzles shall receive my powers over man and darkness.'"

"Power over man and darkness, huh? Great!" Kisara jumped up, much to the surprise of Téa and Roland. "That means my wish _will _come true! I'm so excited. I want to complete it even more!" Roland stood up and walked over to his daughter.

"Now, now dear. As your father I cannot allow you to put yourself in harm's way now hand over that puzzle."

"You're always so over-protective," Kisara said with a smirk as she darted to the stairs that lead to her room. "I'm never giving it up! Never!"

* * *

>It was late as Kisara tried to fit a few pieces together.<p><p>

"I think that blocked it," she said. She was dressed in a blue nightgown with a skirt that fell to her mid-thighs, had a scoop collar and long sleeves that loosened from the elbows on.

She was completely unaware of Roland and Rachel watching from the keyhole in her door.

"She still hasn't given up on that puzzle," Rachel said.

"Yes, she truly has become our daughter."

"Seto told me that both he and Mokuba had similar puzzles. They still haven't given up on them either. Mokuba never told Kisara because it slipped his mind every time."

"He was five, so I can understand it. But I am concerned. Power over man and darkness. I hope that doesn't mean anything but a silly old riddle made to fill space on the box and keep away those who were unwanted." Rachel nodded and looked back in the keyhole. Kisara had fallen asleep at her desk.

"She's out." Roland opened the door silently and tip-toed over to his daughter as she snoozed. He picked her up gently and deposited her into her bed.

"Good night Kisara," he whispered, giving her forehead a light kiss. He turned to turn out her desk light and noticed the puzzle; more than three-quarters done. The body was curved slightly and a tail wrapped around the stomach, to be hidden by the forelegs and head. The wings, head and eyes had yet to appear.

As Roland and Rachel settled down to bed the small pendant let out a shimmer of light in Kisara's room and a roar, almost like a lion's with a reptilian edge, could be heard as if it were miles away. Kisara turned over in her sleep.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon," she muttered.

* * *

>"Kisara, can I see you for a moment?" Trudge asked at lunch. Kisara stood up from her desk and followed the taller boy.<p><p>

"What is it Trudge? Have I done something wrong?" she asked as he lead her around a corner.

"Just come along, I'm sure you'll be pleased." Kisara's eyes widened as the scene unfolded before her. A few public morale guys were standing in a semi-circle around two figures sitting in the dirt. One was leaning on the shoulder of the other and they both looked worse for wear. A loud gasp ripped itself from her throat when she realized just who was on the ground, covered in bruises, dirt and what looked suspiciously like blood: Joey and Tristan.

"Joey! Tristan!" she screamed as she ran towards them. Trudge grabbed her around the middle and slowly pulled her into the semi-circle.

"What do you think Kisara?"

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Like I told you yesterday, as your bodyguard I can't allow you to be bullied and let the bullies go uneducated. We've been showing these guys what happens when they cross you."

"Trudge, this is horrible! I didn't want you to be my bodyguard in the first place!" Kisara ran over to Joey and Tristan. "Are you alright? Joey? Tristan? Say something!" Joey glared at her.

"Kisara, are ya happy now ya little-" A coughing spell cut Joey off before he could continue.

"Joey, do you really think I could want something so horrible?"

"Move Kisara!" Trudge said as he shoved her out of the way. Kisara landed hard on the ground, her mouth filling with dirt and her sleeve becoming stained by the brown earth. "We're not done with the education yet," Trudge said just before he placed a well-aimed kick into Joey's diaphragm. The boy's breath shot out of him with a few drops of blood. Kisara spat the dirt out of her mouth and placed herself in between the three boys.

"That enough!" she shouted, spreading her arms wide.

"What's with you Kisara? Why're you defending these guys? They're the ones that spited you. What an oddball. Now's your chance for revenge. Kick them! Punch them!"

"Violence will only lead to more violence. This isn't the way to stop a bully! And I won't hurt my friends so if you want to hurt them you'll have to kill me first!" Trudge let out a laugh as Joey looked up at the girl in front of them.

"Friends?" he said.

"You are strange. Not many people would defend people who pick on them."

"Joey wasn't picking on me. He was just trying to toughen me up so I can stand up to real bullies!" Trudge gave her a questioning look. "Bullies like you!" Before he could react, Kisara's hand made a loud, satisfying _crack _on his cheek and left a red imprint exactly where her hand had struck.

"Honeslt Kisara, you are weird. If you no longer desire my services, it's time to pay up."

"What are you talking about?"

"My daily fee for my bodyguard services are $200 a day." Kisara's breath almost caught in her throat.

"What?"

* * *

>"What do I do?" Kisara asked as she stared at the sunset through her window while her fingers worked on the puzzle. "$200 whole dollars. I don't have that kind of money." She took notice of what her hand were doing. "What's the matter with me? I should be trying to find a way out of this, not working on my puzzle." She took a closer look. The wings had come in perfectly and the head was almost half-done. "But, I'm doing much better than usual. Odd, I feel like crap three times over but I also feel like… I might just… Finish the puzzle?!" More pieces began to click into place. For every click that echoed in her room, Kisara heard two more in the back of her head but ignored them.<p><p>

She held the puzzle up now only one blue eyes remained.

"I've almost done it. Just one more piece and my family's heirloom will be whole again!" She reached for the final piece but felt nothing but the side of the box. "The final piece. Oh no!" Kisara stood up, her throat tightening slightly in panic.

* * *

>Joey's fingers trailed the wall that surrounded the rver next to the school as he followed Tristan. They both were sore but they could finally move after all the beatings they'd suffered from Trudge and his goons.<p><p>

"Like I said, we can't tell what that guy's really thinking."

"That's my line copycat," Joey said, only half paying attention.

"Oh? It doesn't really matter who said it first." Joey stopped and looked up. There was the window he'd thrown Kisara's puzzle piece from, still open. He saw the memory play back in the window, almost as if ghosts were reenacting it. He looked down at the river but instead of his own reflection, he saw Kisara smiling happily at him and heard the words "If you want to hurt them you'll have to kill me first!" echo in his head. "As a beautification club member-" Tristan realized he wasn't being followed and started to turn. "Are you listening- AH!" he shouted as Joey leapt over the wall and into the water, feeling the bottom with his fingertips for Kisara's missing jewel. Tristan ran over. "Hey! What're you doing!"

* * *

><em>"Without that piece of the puzzle, my wish won't come true," <em>Kisara thought as the street raced under her feet. _"Please be at school." _The building just loomed a block away.

As she turned past the front gate, she ran smack into someone and looked up.

"Hello Kisara."

"Trudge."

"You brought the bodyguard fee right? Good girl."

"I'm sorry but you're mistaken. I think I forgot something very important here and came to pick it up. Anyway, I can't pay that much." Trudge smiled.

"Then it looks like you'll be needing some education like your so-called friends!" Kisara gasped as Trudge grabbed her by the hair.

* * *

>Joey punched the air, holding the shining blue gem in between in index and middle finger.<p><p>

"Finally! I found it!" A light blue towel fell onto his hand and he looked up at a smirking Tristan.

"As a beautification club member, I constantly handle dirty things. But, you'd better buy me a new towel."

"What did ya say?! You're such a cheap!"Tristan looked up and saw Trudge practically dragging Kisara with one hand plastered over her mouth as she kicked and scratched trying to get free.

"That guy."

* * *

>Kisara let out a small cry of pain as Trudge kicked her into the wall in the exact same place he and his goons had beaten up Joey and Tristan mere hours before. She fell to her side and clutched at the pendant around her neck.<p><p>

"Tomorrow, we'll show the fruits of your education. And you better bring that money or I'll _break _your nose." He started to walk away.

"Hey!" Joey shouted as he and Tristan turned the corner. Trudge looked over his shoulder.

"Well, well, well. Looks like a couple of bullies." Joey looked at Kisara and ran over to the unmoving girl.

"Kisara! Hey! Come on wake up!"

"I wished… that the puzzle… would help me find the ones… I'd loved and lost," Kisara hiccupped, unaware that Joey was listening. The blond put the blue gem into the palm of her hand and closed her fingers around the jewel.

"Trudge, for a long time I've respected you, but after this!" Tristan gestured to Kisara as Joey stood up.

"You're goin' down!" the blond growled.

"You and your goons caught us by surprise this afternoon but it won't be as so this time around!"

"Oh, you think that two-on-one will assure you a victory?" Trudge said in a mocking voice. Joey and Tristan charged him.

_"I wished that the puzzle would help me find those that I'd loved and lost. I know one day I'll be reunited with Mom. I want to see Daddy again. I want to see Mokie and Seto so much. I just want what was taken from me back. Maybe even a few friends, who'd never betray me, no matter what happened," _Kisara thought as Trudge landed a hard punch to Joey's face, a kick to Tristan's stomach and another punch to their faces before they fell to the ground.

"This is what happens to those who defy me! Remember this lesson well!" Trudge turned and started laughing as Kisara forced her eyes open.

"Joey! Tristan!" Tears began to collect in her eyes. _"I can't. I can't wake them up. Someone like me never had the power to protect anyone, let alone keep them with me." _Her fist tightened and something poked her flesh. She opened her eyes and fist to reveal the missing eye. "The last piece?" She looked at the pendant around her neck on a length of rope. She slid the blue gem into its slot and heard two more clicks in the back of her mind. The blue eyes began to glow and shot a beam of silvery-blue light into Kisara's.

As she sank into darkness she heard a roar, as if coming from miles away, that reslembed a lion with a reptilian edge.

The light sent a shadow onto the wall but instead of Kisara, the silhouette was that of a great dragon with glowing blue eyes.

On the other side of town, two boys finished similar puzzles and had the same experience.

* * *

>Trudge felt a ripple through the ground and the leaves on the trees began to rip away as if hit by a sudden and strong gust.<p><p>

"Now, it's game time." Trudge turned around and saw a darkened sky to his left and a city stretched out to his right. He looked down at a river and grabbed a rope that had somehow been tied around his waist as he lost his footing but didn't even fall.

"What is this?" he demanded. A light chuckle could be heard from upwards. Trudge looked up and a silver dragon, curled up with its head on its forelegs and tail wrapped around its stomach with blue eyes began to shimmer. The light reached up, illuminating the face of its owner; Kisara. But there was something different about her. Her eyes, normally serene and seemingly fragile, were hard, calculating and seemed to spit a raging blue fire. The smirk she wore so casually seemed to say "I know what's going to happen to you" and her white hair had gained more of a lightning bolt look as it streaked down her back. She also had a rope around her waist and was leaning against the tip on the top of the tower that had to be at least three or four feet taller than her."Kisara!"

"Hello Trudge, I have double what you want right here," she said tapping a white envelope taped to the tip. Even her voice was different. Before it had been that of a timid girl who was afraid of everyone, but now it was the voice of a confident young woman.

"You mean you brought the money? There's a good little girl. You should've just given it to me instead of forcing my hand. Now fork it over!"

"You're so dull."

"What?"

"Haven't you ever heard of earning what you want? Play a game with me."

"A game?"

"But this is no ordinary game, it's a Hikari Game."

"Sounds interesting. I, Tetsu Trudge, have never lost a game in my life so bring it on wimp!"

"You're brave Trudge. And by the way, I'm called the Body. So, let's begin." She took a step away from the tip and slid down the side with her hand touching the green metal that made the roof. Cards flowed out from under her hand and as she slid, Trudge was pulled upwards. "The rules are as follows: We each take turns picking cards, spades and clubs for boys and diamonds and hearts for girls. We each move up or down by the value of the card. Jacks are 11, Queens are twelve, Kings are 13, a black Ace is 14 and a red Ace is 1. Jokers are a miss and you lose your next turn. Choose a card that isn't your color and you go down. The winner is whoever gets to the top first."

"Very well. Sounds simple enough. I'll start us off," Trudge said as he picked up a card. "Ten of Spades. Get ready Kisara, I feel lucky today." Trudge counted ten steps as he climbed. Kisara picked up a card.

"I've got the King of Diamonds."

"What did you say Kisara?" Kisara climbed thirteen steps and Trudge picked up another card."Two of Clubs. I'll catch up."

"I'm called the Body and we can't have that now." Kisara picked up another card. "Queen of Diamonds." Trudge began to get a little frantic as he got farther and farther from the tip.

"Three of Spades."

"Jack of Diamonds."

"Six of Clubs!"

"King of Hearts." And the game continued until only a dozen of the 56 cards were left to be used. Trudge was almost hanging over the edge while Kisara was a step from the top. "What's the matter Trudge? Are you done with the game? I'm only a single step from the top."

"Shut up! The next card I pick will turn this around!" Trudge's eyes widened and his pupils dilated as he looked at the card. "Joker."

"Too bad Trudge. Looks like this victory goes to me." Trudge growled.

"Don't even try to play that game Kisara! This thing's been fixed from the start! Hasn't it!" Kisara bent down and picked up her card.

"I'm called the Body. And I have the Ace of Hearts. Looks like I've won."

"Why you little-" Trudge started climbing up the roof.

"Are you breaking the rules? I'd advise you to stop that. Or else something terrible will happen to you."

"Shut up!" Trudge shouted as he went to punch Kisara. She stepped out of the way and looked as if she were starting to fall but kept a perfectly straight face.

"I knew from the start that you'd try to break the rules." Trudge grabbed the rope, now weakened by the rubbing of the two during the game and tore it in half.

"Fall!" he shouted as he let go of the rope. Kisara was laughing as she faded from sight. Trudge let out a chuckle and turned to the tip. "I've done it!" He tore open the envelope and pulled out a deck of cards. "What in the world? Where's my money!"

"The Doors of Madness open for another." Kisara's voice echoed and rang in Trudge's head.

"What?" The tip moved more towards Trudge and he stepped back to avoid being hit but lost his footing and started to fall. As he plummeted past the place he'd climbed from her saw Kisara with her right hand embedded into the stone. The matching claw on the dragon pendant was glowing and Trudge realized that Kisara's hand was covered in silver-white scales and half-foot-long claws had sunk into the stone.

"The Hikari Games reveal people for their true character. Now, be swallowed by your own disgustingly twisted, sickly greed." As she said this, she started fading bit by bit until only her echoing voice remained.

"What?!" Trudge said as he fell. "It's fine. It'll just be a bit wet is all," he assured himself. He looked at the river, coming up at him fast. Three areas had air bubbles on the surface. "What is that?!" Three large beasts like crocodiles with mummy-like skin and rotted, black teeth arose from the water. Deep violet-crimson smoke swirled from their nostrils. Trudge screamed as he plunged towards the largest as it opened its powerful maw.

* * *

>"Hey, isn't that Trudge?" a few boys from the Public Morale asked as they neared the school. Trudge was curled up on his side with tears streaming down his face. He started flailing his arms and legs and screaming.<p><p>

"Help! Help! Don't let them eat me! HELP!" he screamed but his kicking and flailing wouldn't allow anyone to come near him.

* * *

>"Hey did you hear?" "About Trudge?" "Yea I heard he was in such shock he was sent to the hospital." "Whatever happened to him must've been scary. He was a great guy." Girls were gossiping about Trudge as Kisara clasped her family treasure in her hands.<p><p>

"Finally dear dragon, you're whole again and once again in the hands of one who cares," Kisara whispered.

"Morning Kisara," Joey said. He was leaning against the wall leading to the classrooms and had a few bandages on his face.

"Good morning Joey. How're your injuries?"

"They're fine. But I'm following your example. I brought my own treasure to school. Wanna see?" Kisara nodded excitedly. Joey chuckled. "Too bad, my treasure is somethin' that anyone can see but only select few can feel it." Kisara thought the riddle over in her head. _"What am I doing?" _

"I'm sorry Joey, I don't know the answer."

"It's called friendship. - _What? –_ It's sort of like how anyone can see love but only two can feel the love for each other. My friendship is something anyone can see, but only you and Tristan can feel." Tears welled in Kisara's blue eyes and she smiled. Her eyes closed and a tear ran down her cheek.

"Right!"

_"What is it with me today, spouting' all this nonsense?"_Joey turned and clenched his fists. "Anyway, class is about to begin." He took off so quickly, his shoe flew off his foot and landed right on top of Kisara's head. The girl took it off and ran after her friend.

"Wait up Joey! You forgot your shoe on my head!" she called.

* * *

><strong>Pheonix: Well, that finishes the first real chapter in our teenage sequence. Next, Kisara gets a nice little surprise and also gives a little surprise. <strong>

**Cerberus: Well, at least we got away from Kaiba for a bit.**

**Seto: I'll be showing up again soon mutt.**

**Cerberus: Mutt?! I thought that was Joey Wheeler's name from you!**

**Kisara: Let's not fight please. Seriously, I think we've got enough violence in this story.**

**Pheonix: She's right boys. We've got quite a bit. And no Seto, you won't be able to find my notes on a certain chapter that's coming up later because those notes are stored safely in my head.**

**Kisara: Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Pheonix: A new chapter! And we get the Kaiba brothers back a whole episode early. You'll see why.**

**Cerberus: Oh great.**

**Seto: Quiet you.**

**Kisara: Yea, I love this episode!**

**Pheonix: Me too. Oh, and SerenePanic, Melody is actually Miho's name in the English translated manga. It seemed appropriate for the situation since I'm using English names. Well, I own nothing!**

**Kisara: Please review!**

**Second Hikari Game**

**By Sailor Pheonix1997**

"Why do they keep us here? No one's going to break out, it's darn-near impossible," said a guard as he twirled his nightstick like a baton. His fellow guard chuckled.

"Darn-near?"

"Didn't you hear? Jirou the Yellow Spider escaped a few nights ago."

"Well, that's like him," the second guard said as he walked away. Down the hall was a line of cells. In one was a man with purple hair lined with bright green and styled much like a hedgehog.

_"What're they going on about? I'll be escaping from here _tonight," he thought to himself. As the clicks of the guard's shoes echoed from down the hall he prepared himself at the door of his cell. As the guard walked by, the man hit him over the head with his own nightstick, grabbed the keys from his belt, unlocked the door and dragged the man into the cell.

Police sirens were blaring as a half dozen cars pulled up to the prison wall.

"It's horrible! One of the convicts has escaped!" the warden shouted.

"Hurry, seal and search the area men. He can't have gone too far," the leader of the police said as men began to flock inside. No one was aware of a guard leaving and taking a car for himself.

"The fugitive's name is Tetsu Tasaki, also known as the Hedgehog. He might have a pistol…" Tetsu Tasaki turned off the radio and smirked.

"Next time, call me 'Master of Disguise, Mister Tetsu Tasaki', please," he said.

* * *

><p>"Well, paint me blue and call me Babe," Roland said as Kisara hurried to eat her breakfast. Rachel sat down next to her daughter and touched the pendant around her neck.<p>

"For the first time in generations, your family heirloom in whole again." Kisara nodded as Roland reached over and felt her forehead.

"Father?"

"Do you feel any different? Stronger or more powerful in anyway?"

"Not really, why do you ask?"

"Well, on the side that the ones who solved the puzzle would gain power over men and darkness."

"Well, my wish sorta came true. I got some new friends!"

"Friends?" Rachel said. The two adults looked at the pendant around their daughter's neck.

_"There's no way that's all. Power over men and darkness? What could that mean?" _Kisara was too kept up in her breakfast to really notice her parents' concern

* * *

><p>Kisara was on the edge of her seat, as was most of the class. A rumor had broken out that two new students were attending school at Domino High. As the bell began to ring, signaling homeroom, the teacher walked in, followed by a boy very familiar to Kisara.<p>

_"No way," _she thought. But sure enough, there, in perfect view of everyone in the classroom, was Seto Kaiba. He almost looked exactly as Kisara's picture. The only difference was he was much taller, around 6'1" and was wearing his white suit. She also noticed a light bulge under his shirt.

"This is Seto Kaiba everyone. Please make him feel welcome."

"Nice to meet you," he said looking around. He locked eyes with Kisara and smiled somewhat.

"Now, there's a seat open right next to Kisara Isona." Seto walked over towards his desk and stopped for a second in front of Kisara's. He bent down and picked up a blue playing card.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" he said offering her the card.

"It has," she agreed, taking the card and placing it on the deck in her bag. She noticed it was the Ace of Hearts.

"I see you finished your puzzle," he said taking his seat.

"And you?" Seto pulled a length of rope out from under his shirt to reveal a white silver dragon with blue eyes. It's wings were stretched in flight and the claws were tucked under the belly.

"I'd say so," Seto said before the lesson began.

"It's good to see you again," Kisara whispered. Seto nodded his agreement before gesturing to the board with his pencil.

* * *

><p>Joey stretched as the final bell rang.<p>

"Finally done. Hey Kaiba, ya stop anywhere on your way home?"

"Actually, I go to a few restaurants with my brother after school." Kisara smiled as she started packing up her bag. She glanced at the door and noticed a very familiar dusty violet-blue eyes.

"Mokie?" Mokuba stepped out of his hiding spot and stared at Kisara before running over and throwing his arms around her middle.

"Kisara! I missed you so much!" Kisara took a gentle hold of the boy's arms and gasped for air.

"Mokie, I can't breathe." Mokuba let go and looked her over. "You've grown," she observed. Mokuba nodded and looked her over.

"Miss Rachel's been telling us all about your puzzle and your progress. It's great to see that you finished!" Mokuba pulled a rope from under his shirt and revealed a white dragon with blue eyes. Its wings were raised and the head was turned and teeth flashing in a growl. One paw was raised in warning.

"Awesome Mokie! Where'd you get that?"

"I kept forgetting to tell you that Seto and I both had puzzles like yours when we were little. They were heirlooms as well from our family." Seto smiled at his brother.

"So Mokuba, where to today?" Seto asked as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Well, a few kids in my class found out about this new restaurant that's just a little out of our way home called Burger World! The kids say that the place is famous for their delicious burgers."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Hey you two," Tristan said as he walked over. Joey stood up and sauntered over.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't freshman president flunkie turned janitor boy, Tristan Taylor."

"It's not janitor boy, beautification club! You guys should know that stopping on the way home is against school rules." Seto rolled his eyes.

"If I wanted people to control me, I'd sell myself as a slave, thank you very much." Melody skipped over.

"I'd love to go to Burger World with anyone who'd like to go!"

"Let's go together!" Tristan said.

"Ya call me hopeless?" Joey said, letting his head hang.

"Uh, Joey, guys?" Téa said. The group looked over at the two girls that hadn't joined in the conversation.

"Did you say Burger World?" Kisara asked. Mokuba nodded.

"You want to come too?"

"Mokie! Don't joke! I heard that restaurant bribed the critic into putting in a good review. I heard that some people were leaving the restaurant with the runs!" Kisara said with an edge of near-panic in her voice.

"Really guys! Don't go! I mean, it would be horrible if the two new students got sick right after their first day of school!" Téa said.

"Please Mokie, for your sake and mine, don't go there. And anyway Seto, didn't you listen in class today? According to our teacher a criminal escaped from prison last night," Kisara said, suddenly taking on a motherly tone.

"That's right," Mokuba said. "That Hedgehog guy. The entire town's on edge!"

"Don't tell me ya're scared Mokuba," Joey said as Téa and Kisara headed out the door.

"Can you blame me?! The guy's supposed to have a gun on his person!" Mokuba shouted. Joey rubbed his ear.

"Just like Kisara, not much guts but one heck of a loud voice." Joey looked around and noticed the missing girls. "Hey, did anyone else notice that Kisara and Téa are gone?" The group looked around.

"Actually, he's right. I bet they're on their way home by now," Seto said.

"Or maybe, they've become hired dates." Seto's eyes flared and Mokuba's face went red as a beat.

"Joey! What the heck?! Get your mind out of the gutter!" Tristan roared.

"I've known Kisara since we were kids. She's never liked people who do that sort of thing," Seto said, not even near as angry as he looked.

"Hey Kaiba, your brother's face is all red. Maybe he's-"

"You want a trip to the hospital mutt?!" Seto roared grabbing Joey by the collar.

"Big brother!" Mokuba scolded. "He's just kidding. Right Joey?" Joey nodded quickly."By the way Seto, what's a hired date?"

"Nothing you need to know yet!" Seto said, letting go of Joey but hitting him upside the head. Melody stood away from the rest of the group thinking.

_"A hired date? Kisara and Téa? No way. Kisara's father would kill her if she did that. But… what if they suddenly have something for older men? But then that would mean- NO!"_

* * *

><p>Melody peered around the corner as her friends walked down the street.<p>

_"Don't worry you two. Melody's going to save you from the hands of older men!" _She took off down the street as fast as she could.

* * *

><p>Tetsu smirked as he bit into a burger. His disguise was perfect. No one would be able to recognize him like this.<p>

"That's what they get for trying to lock me up," he whispered to himself. "Now that I'm free it's time to get to work."

* * *

><p>The darkness of the bank was only disrupted by the flashlight held in Tetsu's hand while his other one worked on the combination lock.<p>

"It's been way too long since I've had this sensation, this tension!" The door clicked open but when Tetsu opened it further, it was empty.

"What the heck?! Empty?" He started searching for any spare change that was left in the vault, but his attempts were in vain. "You've got to be kidding me."

* * *

><p>"In other news, a burglar entered the bank on the outer parts of Domino city and made off with about $375,000 in cash." Tetsu, in his disguise from earlier, started coughing on the noodles he'd been eating. "Also, two other banks were robbed last night. From the metalwork the police have confirmed it to be Tetsu Tasaki who broke out of prison last night."<p>

_"Don't joke! The vault was empty by the time I got there! And what the heck was that about other banks? I only went to one! What's going on?!"_

* * *

><p>"So, the darn game's so hard I can't even get past level one!" Joey said. "You guys should give it a go."<p>

"That sounds like fun!" Mokuba commented.

"Yea. Melody wants to try!" Téa gave her friend a cold, stern look.

"Melody," she said. Kisara closed her back and flanked her brunette friend.

"Oh, that's right. Sorry guys. I'll have to take a rain check on the video game," Melody said as she walked over to her friends, now headed out the door.

"We're going to be busy for a while so don't try to tempt us," Kisara said.

"Bye-bye!" Melody called as she and Kisara left the room.

"Uh, Melody?" Tristan said.

"So, dose two got her ta join in their little date for hire scheme," Joey said. Seto's eyes flared again but he resided to taking a feigned fascination in the cuff of his new school uniform.

"Wheeler! How dare you accuse my precious Ribbon of such a thing! Take it back right now. If you don't I'll make you spill your guts out right here, right now!" Tristan roared.

"Tristan's right Joey," Mokuba said. "You're being pretty rude to them. What if they're going to the library or volunteering at places like a nursing home or a hospital?"

"You all're naive. Didn't ya see what Kisara bought for lunch? Instead of da regular priced lunch she normally buys she bought da High-Stami lunch!"

"What about that lunch? I've been buying it every single day so far and it hasn't made a chip in my wallet," Seto said.

"Not all of us are so rich we could buy da world if we wanted to Rich boy." Tristan had drifted towards the door.

_"No way, the High-Stami lunch? Geez, most kids normally buy that only once in their High School years. But there's no way that Melody would date for money. However, there is a slight possibility. No… No…But even if she did, I'm just a high school student. I can't compare to an older man with money. Oh, CURSE IT ALL!" _he mentally screamed.

* * *

><p>"Found you," Tristan whispered as he peered around the corner and saw the three familiar uniforms. "Melody, you have to open your eyes to the truth!" He started after them.<p>

* * *

><p>Tetsu, still in disguise, bit into his burger.<p>

"Dang it all. What the heck happened yesterday? I've got to succeed today. After all, I am after a bigger prize," he whispered.

* * *

><p>Tetsu pulled a necklace from its glass case that was now missing a perfect circle. The necklace in question was made of pink pearls, jade beads and an array of diamonds along the bottom.<p>

"This is great! The necklace worn by Marie Antoinette, Starlight! If I sell this off I can party for the rest of my life!"

* * *

><p>The sun was starting to rise as Tetsu drove down the road with Starlight in the passenger seat.<p>

"Further, the Marie Antoinette necklace that was stolen last night, was an imitation-"

"A fake?!" Tetsu grabbed the necklace and felt the tell-tale lines that meant the necklace was made of plastic.

"And thirty other jewels were stolen as well. Police believe that Tetsu Tasaki is involved." He punched the radio off and rolled down the window, fuming.

"You've got to be kidding me! The only thing I stole was this!" He threw the necklace out the window where it broke into pieces on the road. "What's going on!"

* * *

><p>"Oh man. Glad dat nightmare's over. Kaiba, ya know basketball?" Joey asked.<p>

"I could kick your butt any day of the week Wheeler," Seto said, a sly glint appearing in his eyes.

"So could I!" Mokuba said with a smirk.

"Alright den. Hey Tristan!" Joey called. "Care for a little two-on-two against da Kaiba boys?"

"Sorry, but I can't today. Let's go ladies," Tristan said, turning to Kisara, Téa and Melody.

"Yes!" Melody said. Before another word could be said, all four of the teenagers were gone.

"Let me guess, you're going to say that Tristan's dating for pay too?" Seto said.

"Yea, but dat guy seems way too good ta even think about doin' something like that."

"I've got a way to figure out this puzzle," Mokuba said. The older boys gave him a questioning look.

* * *

><p>"There they are," Joey whispered as he peered around the corner. Seto stood behind him with Mokuba flanking him.<p>

"If we get caught, I'm blaming you," Seto warned.

"Operation Trailing, commence!" Joey said, having ignored Seto's remark. The three quickly and quietly followed after their friends.

"My bag feels heavy today," Melody said after the boys caught up slightly. Kisara froze in her tracks and looked over her shoulder, catching the attention of the others. "Is something wrong?" Kisara shook her head.

"No. Must've imagined it. Let's go." Once the four were out of ear and eyeshot Seto stood up from behind an enormous teddy bear and dusted off his sleeve.

"That was close," Mokuba whispered as he crawled from the hiding place.

"She's definitely become more aware of her surroundings since we were little," Seto agreed.

"Yea, she can be pretty dang smart. Let's go," Joey said standing up from his place. The three took off down the street again.

* * *

><p>The four teens gave a cautious look to the streets before walking through a pair of sliding glass doors. They hadn't noticed the boys watching them from an alley not too far away.<p>

"Oh gosh," Mokuba whispered.

"What is it?" Seto asked. Mokuba pointed to the sign above the building. A large hamburger with white hands was frozen in mid-wave with "Burger World" written in red.

"Why would they be here?" Mokuba asked. Joey stepped out of the alley and started towards the building. Seto sighed and he and Mokuba started after him. Through the window, they could see the girls dressed in lime-green shirts with yellow ties and evergreen-colored skirts. Tristan was dressed in similar colors. Téa's uniform had two little yellow ribbons holding up her sleeves while Melody wore her sleeves down. Kisara's hair was tied back with an almost-white ribbon and all four were serving tables.

Kisara looked up smiling with a tray balanced expertly on her right hand and a milkshake balanced on it as the glass doors opened again.

"Welcome to Burger World. Feel free to any empty booth or table you see and a waiter will be with you momentarily," her voice faltered as she saw who was in the doorway. Seto's breath almost caught in his throat. "Seto?" He smirked while Kisara looked sheepishly at the floor and her hand tilted. Before anyone could react, the milkshake fell from the tray onto the floor, sending glass in almost every direction and the milkshake onto Kisara's uniform. Catching the attention of the other workers.

"Oh no," Téa whispered. "Joey knows. And he's the biggest loudmouth at school!"

"It's out," Melody said.

"Will one of ya say something about why you're here?" Joey said.

"Oh dang it all!" Kisara muttered as she tried to wipe out the sticky beverage from her uniform.

"And can't you tell why we're here Joey? This is a part-time job! We sweat beautifully at work," Tristan said. Seto and Mokuba gave each other questioning looks.

"Hey you, you know that part-time jobs are against the school rules. And you act all  
>high and mighty all the time."<p>

"Look Wheeler, I also had an issue with grasping the idea, but perhaps school doesn't need to tell us how to live our lives."

"And, there's so many things that I'm saving up for," Melody said.

"Hey guys!" The group turned to face a man with red dreadlocks pulled back in a ponytail and gray eyes. He was dressed in a similar fashion as Tristan but had Manager pinned to his shirt. "These are customers right? Let them take their seats. Kisara, if you need to change, there's extra uniforms in the locker rooms," the man said. Kisara nodded while the other three went back to work.

"Thanks boss. I'll be with you guys in a moment. I just need to change and wash this uniform." She ran off in the opposite direction of the boys as they took a booth.

* * *

><p>Seto rubbed his forehead as Joey started smiling broadly with his chin in his hand and his elbow on the table.<p>

"What's da deal between ya two?" Joey asked.

"What?"

"Well, it seems dat you and Kisara have a history."

"Her parents work for me. That's it. We used to play together until we were twelve when my step-father threatened her parents' jobs if she kept 'interfering' with my life. It's been a little lonely these past few years without her but now that we're attending the same school, I hope we can start over again."

"And ya have ta admit, she kinda looks cute in her uniform," Joey said, earning him a punch near the elbow, knocking him face-first onto the table.

* * *

><p>Outside Tetsu was panting, in a new disguise, and darted towards Burger World. A policeman in a beige suit ran up the street not long after. His hair was salt-and-pepper colored.<p>

"Dang it Tetsu. Where did you go?!"

* * *

><p>Joey smirked as Kisara walked over with a smile on her face and three burgers on her tray. The uniform she'd changed into was a size smaller than her last one and her movements looked awkward and very self-conscious.<p>

"Thank you for waiting," she said as she placed the tray down between the boys.

"Kisara," Mokuba said as the white-haired girl grabbed a bottle of ketchup.

"Here sirs, please let me put the ketchup on your burgers." She gave the bottle a squeeze and put "TA1AIWKU" on the burgers and fries.

"What?"

"Tell anyone and I will kill you," Kisara said as she started walking away.

"Kisara!" Mokuba said, causing the girl to turn.

"Sorry. It's just that, I'm helping Téa save up for New York. She wants to attend dance there after we graduate. It's her dream. Don't you dare laugh at us," she said with a wink. Mokuba nodded.

"Don't worry Kisara. You've kept my secrets and we can keep yours," Seto said with a smile as he folded his fingers together and rested them under his nose.

"And tell Téa to relax. Her secret's safe with me. Not a word about it will pass my lips. And if it does, I'll buy ten thousand of these burgers for her," Joey said. Kisara's eyes softened and she looked at the soiled burgers.

"Thanks. For your secrecy, I'll get you some fresh burgers, on the house." She tousled Mokuba's hair as she passed by. Mokuba beamed at his brother.

"We should come here more often. Even if we're not going to eat, I want to see Kisara more." Seto smiled at his brother.

"Don't worry. If my plan works, we'll be seeing more of her than we did when we were kids, Mokuba." Mokuba nodded. Seto looked out the window and noticed a man walking in. The manager and his four employees gathered around him.

"Hey guys, looks like something's going on," Joey whispered as the group entered the hallway to the restrooms. The boys stood up and followed them quickly.

"No way! An escaped convict?!" Melody said. Kisara placed a hand over her friend's mouth.

"Are you sure that he would be here sir?" Kisara's boss said.

"Well, we got a report this morning that this restaurant seems to be in the middle of the area of the break-ins." No one in the group seemed to take notice that three boys had walked over and were now listening to the conversation. "So, I was sent to check this area."

"Do you have a picture of the culprit in question?" Kisara asked. The inspector pulled out a picture of a man with purple hair tipped with neon-lime-green and styled like a hedgehog. The teens looked out at the other customers but saw no one that matched that appearance.

"I don't see anyone inspector," Seto said.

"He's a master of disguise young man. It's rare to see him in his own look."

"Well, I can vouch for everyone here that he's not one of us," Kisara said. "Looks like we'll have to start checking for wigs and-"

"No, he grabbed a pistol off the night guard he stole the uniform from."

"Inspector, is there anything else that we could use to identify him?" Kisara asked.

"Well miss. When he was stealing the jewels, he had a struggle with the guard and as he was leaving, the guard managed to hit him on the calf with his nightstick before losing consciousness. The hit should've been hard enough to leave a bruise on the right calf." Kisara looked at the counter where a basket of toy cars rested.

"We could use that to check the customers' legs," she suggested. Mokuba nodded and ducked under the countertop and knocked over the basket, sending the cars in every direction. Kisara, Téa, Tristan, Joey and Seto set about looking under the table for them. "Don't mind us!" Kisara said as she ducked under a table.

Melody stood next to the counter and held Mokuba against her hip.

"Oh, my heart's pounding just by watching."

_"Incredible. Everyone's being so brave," _Mokuba thought. Kisara walked up to one of the customers: a man dressed in a suit with his feet up on the table and smoking a cigar.

"Excuse me sir, but this is a non-smoking facility and please remove your feet from the table," she said as she tried to push his feet off the wooden top and checked for the tell-tale bruise. _"No. No bruise here."_

"What do you think you're doing slob?!" the man screamed at her through his cigar. The manager walked up.

"Excuse me sir, but please do not smoke in here. There's an ashtray outside for that stuff and we seem to be in a bit of a situation."

"Don't give me that crap! Stop trying to make excuses! You've got a dang blond in here that doesn't know how to keep her nose out of other peoples' business, let alone wait tables!" The inspector walked over and showed his badge to the man. "What's this about?"

"My apologies everyone. There's a high possibility that there's an escaped convict in this restaurant. During a struggle with a guard he should have a bruise on his right calf. We'll have to check your legs."

"Excuse me?!" demanded a woman not too far away.

"An escaped convict?" said an older man.

"Hyuu! Sounds interesting!" said a teen in the corner booth.

"Are you sure you're not mistaken. After all, you have lost him three times now correct?" asked a man near the door.

"Well. That is true sir but." Tristan, Joey and Seto walked over.

"Inspector, is there anything you're leaving out?" Seto asked.

"Seto's right. Maybe something he can't hide. Perhaps an allergy or maybe a phobia of some sort?" Kisara said. The inspector pulled a notebook from his pocket.

"Actually, there is. While in his first month of prison, he was admitted to the hospital once. It seems he had an allergic reaction to egg yolk."

"Ya mean that gold stuff?" Joey asked.

"Precisely."

"He's allergic to egg yolk?" Kisara said and a gleam appeared in her eye. "Well, then. If he were to come into this shop, he'd be asking for a trip to the hospital and prison," Kisara said.

"Why's that miss?"

"Our hamburger buns get their golden color from the mountains of egg yolk we put in!" Kisara said with a smile.

_"What? There's yolk in the buns?!" _Tetsu thought as he heard this. _"Now that I think about it, my body feels…" _The inspector walked over.

"Are you alright sir? You don't look well." He was bent over the teen in the corner wearing a hat, sunglasses, a purple jacket, a blue and white striped shirt and green pants.

"Shut up old man! Move it!" The teen made a break to run but the inspector grabbed him, causing the hat and sunglasses to fall off, allowing Tetsu's real face to appear.

"Tetsu Tasaki! You're under arrest!"

"Call an ambulance! Hurry up and call a dang-it-all ambulance! I don't want to die yet!" The teens and the manager walked over and Kisara sighed.

"Idiot, that was a lie," she said.

"What?!"

"Our buns get their golden color from the oven. True they have egg in them, but only egg white.

"Dang it all!" Tetsu shouted as he struggled to get away but ended up taking a few people with him to the ground. He looked underneath him at a black and purple bruise on the calf of the person under him. _"What? A bruise on the right calf? What's going on? And anyway, no cop hit me. But weren't the guards talking about another convict breaking out before I did? That would mean the real offender is-" _"This man!" he grabbed the person's shirt as the inspector hauled him up.

"That's enough out of you!" A lime-green shirt ripped, revealing a purple spider tattoo on the back of Kisara's manager.

"See? That spider!" Kisara's eyes widened. "The yellow Spider, Jirou!" Jirou shoved himself to his feet, grabbed the pistol that had been concealed under Tetsu's jacket and grabbed Kisara. He aimed the barrel of the gun into her temple and kept a tight hand over her mouth.

"Any of you move, you'll have to clean up the guts!"

"You-" Tristan said.

"That's right. I got plastic surgery to change my face and slipped right into town. Tetsu Tasaki, or Hedgehog, I had no idea that you would come into this store. Even when you were in disguise, I could recognize you at a glance. As you see, I'm much different than before. The one who stole the jewels and robbed the banks in town was me!"

_"Oh gosh! Before each of my robberies I ate a burger here. He took advantage of my habit? Oh, I'm such an idiot!" _Tetsu thought to himself.

"Everyone on the ground now!" Jirou shouted. Seto walked over to Mokuba and placed himself over his brother before getting onto the floor. Jirou grabbed Kisara' tie off her neck and tied it around her eyes. "You know, you're actually kind of cute when you're scared. Come along now," he said in a low tone.

"Kisara," Seto growled under his breath.

"Now it's turned into a hostage situation," Joey said to Tristan. He kept an eye on the man until the teen in front of them blocked the view. Jirou took a seat and pulled Kisara against his hip.

"Now. Someone, bring me what I demand!" He looked around the room. "You! Rich-looking protective kid! You do it!"

"Kaiba," Joey whispered. Seto pushed himself to his feet.

"As long as no harm comes to my brother." Jirou pointed the gun at his chest.

"You're hardly in the position to be making demands. Everyone else, shut your eyes and don't move. Anyone who moves gets… Well." He fired the gun at the ceiling, and everyone obeyed. Tristan muttered under his breath. "First, I want alcohol and cigarettes. You should find them under the counter! When I changed my appearance, I had to give up drinking and smoking. Now that I've been discovered, I feel much freer!" Seto walked off to do as told.

_"Hold on a sec! Didn't this creep just say 'rich-looking protective kid'? Please, don't have meant Seto._" Kisara pushed herself up slightly. "Seto! That's you right?! Get out of here!" Jirou snapped up.

"Sit down and shut up!" he shouted, slapping her across the face so she fell out of the booth and onto the floor. He grabbed her by the elbow and yanked her almost into his lap.

"Kisara!" Seto almost shouted. The dragon pendant around his neck flashed and his eyes blanked for a minute before a roaring and spitting fire replaced ice. "Normally those who leave so much as a scratch on the Body wouldn't live to tell the tale. However, I'm up to leaving that up to you," he said as he walked over and put down the bottle and cigarette box. "I brought it, just as you requested." He took a seat on the opposite side.

"Hey brat, who told you to sit down?" Seto smirked.

"Oh? I thought that perhaps I could entertain you for a moment," he said as he smirked. "It's high time for a game, wouldn't you agree?"

_"Huh? Who in the world? That's not Seto at all? Who is that?" _Kisara thought. "_It's only a small thing but that voice sounds much wiser than Seto's does." _

"Oh a game?" Jirou said as he put a cigarette in his mouth. "Before I was imprisoned, I would gamble day and night. I suppose I'm interested." Seto's smirk deepened.

"Are you sure? This is no ordinary game. It's a Hikari Game. And in this game, your sanity is on the line."

"Very well boy, what're the rules?" Jirou asked. _"Dumb brat. I'll end him the second the game starts. Teach him to underestimate me."_Joey was the only one of the hostages that dared to open his eyes.

_"What's goin' on over there?"_he thought.

"First off, I'm called the Mind," Seto said. "And as to rules, there's only one. Of the ten fingers we possess, none are allowed to move save for the one that we pick. Each of us chooses our own and with that one finger, we must try to take the life of the other player. So, do you accept? If so, which finger do you choose?" Jirou smiled.

"Of course I'm in. And I choose my index finger, the one that's used to pull the trigger of a gun." Seto smirked.

"Very well. I chose this one," he said, holding up his right thumb. Jirou grabbed the alcohol bottle and started pouring it into a cup on the table.

_"Kid's gone nuts. His life's over the second the game starts." _

"Once the game begins, you're allowed to use whichever means to end your opponent's life that you'd like. For instance, you could pull that trigger. Alright, hope you're ready. Game start!" Jirou cocked his gun.

"More like game over brat!" Seto pulled a silver lighter from his pocket and flicked open the cap with his thumb. "Oh, so you want to light my smoke?" Seto pushed himself up and reached across the table. _"When he lights my cigarette it'll be the last thing he does." _Seto's thumb flicked the wheel and a small flame appeared and lit the cigarette. Jirou took in a breath and let out a puff of smoke.

"Here, take the lighter. Seems I won't be needing it anymore," Seto said as he moved the bottom of his thumb so the lighter fell from his fingers and onto Jirou's hand that was pouring the alcohol. "But, then again, if I won't be using it again, neither will you." Jirou looked down in a slight panic. "That alcohol is called Russian Senowolf. 90% of it is pure alcohol." Jirou looked at where the overflowing alcohol in the cup had gone: all over his lap and partially onto Kisara's skirt.

"I can't move! If the lighter falls my body will then…" He cursed under his breath.

"I'd love to see you try to shoot me but the recoil would probably drop the lighter and end you as well," Seto said as he stood up. "Come along now," he said, grabbing Kisara's arm. "It's high time we left the vagrant to himself." He pulled her out of the booth and hid her in front of himself as he walked away.

Jirou's eyes shot around

, looking for a way to escape. He set down the gun and grabbed the lighter with a smirk.

"How did I know that you weren't going to be able to follow the rules?" Seto said as he turned. His dragon pendant gleamed.

_"What's up with this kid?" _Jirou thought.

"A Hikari Game reveals the true nature of a human. For those who can't follow the rules, it's meant to become a punishment game." Jirou yanked the cigarette out of his mouth and grabbed the gun off the table.

"Don't try to feed me that crap!" He cocked the gun and aimed at Seto.

"The Doors of Madness open for another," he said calmly. A light shot from the eyes of the dragon and Jirou covered his own from the light. He fired and missed Seto by mere centimeters. Jirou saw green and purple flames shoot from his gun and streak up his arm, soon engulfing him in its burning clutches.

"Help! HELP!" The hostages looked up at the man now struggling with air and screaming, grabbing at his head. "Someone! Get out this fire! Get it out!"

* * *

>"What? You quit your job?" Mokuba asked. Kisara nodded.<p><p>

"When I finished my puzzle, I made a wish that I'd regain the people I cared about and had lost. If I spent all my time working instead of being with you and your brother, I would've wasted the wish."

"Really?" Mokuba asked before throwing his arms around Kisara's middle.

_"But… I'm still curious. Who was it that saved me yesterday?" _Kisara asked herself.

"Hey you three! You're late!" Joey called. He stood before a new shop with "Burgers and Noodles" written in black on an orange sign. Seto rolled his eyes.

"What are you talking about? We're right on time."

"Well, this new shop opened today and I hear their food's really good." He took a step towards the doors and they opened, revealing Melody, Tristan and Téa in white uniforms with black cow spots and red aprons.

"Welcome…"

"You  
>guys are still doing that?" Kisara asked.<p>

"I still have a ways to go until I'm ready for dance school," Téa explained.

"And I'm saving for new clothes," Melody said.

"I don't care how far I fall, as long as I'm with Melody." The un-working foursome sighed at their friends.

* * *

><strong>Pheonix: Well, that's that. Hope you like Seto having the spotlight. Good night everyone!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Pheonix: Here's to my second anniversary on fanfiction!**

**The Third Hikari Game**

**By Sailor Pheonix1997**

The night wind was cold against a boy's back.

"No!" he shouted at the two men in front of him. His hand slipped into his pocket as they drew nearer. Both were dressed in suits and sunglasses.

"Really kid, just fork it over. You'll save yourself a lot of grief." The boy pulled a card from his pocket and held it up.

"But this card's a memento from my father. That's why I'm not-" The guard placed a hand over the boy's mouth while the other started punching him. Neither of them noticed they were being watched,

"I would've thought that I'd made an impression with that restaurant manager," said a cool voice from the shadows. The men stopped punching and turned as the streetlights turned on. Seto's eyes were blank but spat fire as his dragon pendant flashed.

"This has nothing to do with you brat!" Seto smirked and snapped his fingers. The men dropped to the ground, grabbing at their throats like a hand was cutting off their airways.

"For those who really have no option, a Hikari Game won't be wasted. I am not cruel enough to harm you when you're families are threatened. Instead, you'll be a warning for whoever sent you." Seto turned on his heel and left, leaving the boy alone on the roof of the building with two men.

"What was that?" he asked as he looked down. A man with purple armor and a slightly curved purple hat holding a teal-green staff stared back at him.

* * *

>"Duel Monsters?" Joey asked. Kisara nodded.<p><p>

"It came out to the public back when we were in third grade. Ever since a few months ago it started getting really popular," the white-haired girl said as she crossed her arms and set them on the desk where Joey and Seto had a board spread before them. Kisara lay out a few of the monster cards on the desk as Melody and Téa looked over her shoulder.

"Wow, they're so pretty!" Melody said.

"There's thousands of types," Seto said.

"Really? That many?" Both Kisara and Seto nodded as Kisara unfolded her arms, her hand landing on Seto's. The two noticed the contact and both pulled away. Kisara covered a slightly pink blush that was staining her cheeks and she looked down at her shoes as Seto starting rubbing the back of his neck and gained a sudden interest in the cuff of his school uniform.

"Uh, guys?" Téa asked. Kisara shook her head and waved her hand dismissively.

"It's nothing, just… Nothing."

"So, how do ya play?" Joey asked. Kisara moved her chair a little closer to Joey's and looked over his shoulder at the cards he was holding.

"Well, this is a battle-strategy game. You see the numbers at the bottom right?" Joey nodded as Seto glanced in their direction, most of his attention being on Kisara. "This one here is the number of attack points the creature has. The other one here is the number of defense points," Kisara explained pointing at the places in question. "You win by eliminating your opponent's life points."

"Sounds like fun," Téa said.

"Really?' Joey said tossing the cards in his hands onto the board and putting his hands behind his head. "I don't really care about childish games like this." Kisara rolled her eyes and started cleaning up the cards, sending a lightly apologetic smile to Seto. A light chuckle sounded from a few feet away, causing everyone to turn and see Tristan wearing a sash over his front reading "Beautifation Week" in thick black letters.

"I don't think you mean 'childish games.' I think you mean 'games where you use your head.'" Joey shot up and walked over to Tristan.

"What's dat supposed ta mean beauty-boy?"

"Just as you heard it, there's nothing hidden in my words." Joey's fists clenched.

"Why you-" Kisara, sensing a fight almost ready to break out, jumped in between her two friends and chuckled lightly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Come on guys, I'm sure Tristan was just kidding and Joey, you don't have to take offense so easily. But Tristan, I must ask, why are you wearing that at school?"

"These cards are all the craze right now right?" Kisara nodded. "Well, some people who would be absolutely nuts over this game would try to obtain good, rare cards through unjust means."

"Really?" Melody asked.

"Over these cards?" Téa finished. Kisara shook her head.

"It's highly unlikely anyone would do something like that," Seto said.

"Yea, my father has a few friends that know people who would travel all the way from New York to Tokyo Japan just to buy a single card. My daddy and I were fans of it back when I was little," Kisara finished.

"Exactly. I as part of Strong Beautification Week shall prevent the illegal thieving of cards!" Kisara bit her tongue to keep from laughing.

"Tristan, aint' dat dah job o' dah popo, not a Beautification member?" Tristan smirked.

"The job of a Beautification member isn't just to clean what's dirty. The first step is to eliminate the source of filth! However, very few are destined for this task, no. I am but the only one! Therefore, I made Strong Beautification week in order to-"

"Mind if I interrupt Mister Taylor?" asked the teacher. Tristan's face went fifty different shades of red as he realized that class had begun.

"Uh, never mind me sir," he said taking his seat.

"Alright then, let's start off the day by introducing a new student!" Kisara's eyes lit up.

"Another new student? Great! I wonder if this kid'll like games."

"You may come in now." The door opened, revealing a boy a few years older than Kisara with black hair that looked like he'd just tumbled out of bed, intense chocolate-brown eyes that seemed to be red in certain lights, dressed in a black leather jacket, a black t-shirt, a pair of black leather pants and combat boots. "This is Daemon Sanders." Kisara's head cocked to one side like she remembered that name but didn't remember where she'd heard it from.

"Sanders? Like that family that owns that line of racecar?"

"Yes," Daemon said. His voice sounded just like what his eyes looked like. "My family makes the Nascar cars."

"Now, as for your seat Daemon. Oh! There's a place right next to Kisara Isono." Daemon walked over and placed his black bag on the desk before noticing a Duel Monsters card on the floor next to Kisara's desk. He bent down and picked it up.

"Duel Monsters right? Is this yours Miss Isono?"

"Yes it is, thank you. And my name's Kisara. Please call me by that," she said taking the card from the boy and putting it in her deck. "Is there any chance that you're into games." Daemon chuckled warmly.

"To say I love games is an understatement. My family's pretty much been raised to adore games." Kisara chuckled. Seto's hand tightened on his pencil until it almost snapped in his hand.

* * *

>Kisara leaned to look into Seto's car as he and Mokuba got ready to leave.<p><p>

"Be sure to come alright? My step-father won't be home for a number of days from Europe. You could come over the way you used to," Mokuba said. Kisara smiled.

"You bet I'll come!" Seto smiled and the car drove off.

"Nice car," Tristan remarked.

"Hey Kisara," Téa said. "Is there something going on that we should know about between you and Kaiba?" Kisara's face shot to blood-red.

"No! Seto just wants to show me how his card collection has grown over the years!"

"Kaiba's house?" Melody said. "I want to come too!"

"Why don't we all go then? I'm sure he'd like it. I look forward to this." Daemon walked over at that second.

"What's going on?"

"We're headed to Kaiba's house. Would you like to come with us?" Kisara asked.

"Of course! My father has been encouraging me to make at least _some normal _friends in this world. So why not? I just need to call my sister and tell her I'll being coming home a little later than planned."

* * *

>"Oi, ain't dere some sortta law against one person ownin' so much property or sommat?" Joey asked.<p><p>

"There's no such thing," Téa said. Kisara looked over the grounds she hadn't laid eyes on in years. Seto had turned the ordinary rosebushes lining the driveway into a maze if one wanted to walk around a little. All over the walls were the white roses they'd planted together with a little help from Mokuba.

Tristan rolled up on his bike with Melody hanging onto his back.

"COuldn't get a taxi?" Daemon asked. Tristan nodded.

"Hey everyone, I'm glad you all could come. Just a second and I'll open the gates," came Seto's voice over the intercom. The gates swung open with a loud creak.

"Wow," Téa said.

"My mother works here and my father is Seto's private bodyguard. I used to come here everyday I wasn't in school until Seto's step-father started threatening my parent's jobs. After that, Seto and I didn't see each other as much," Kisara said. Then her face lit up. "In fact, there's my mother now. Mother!" Rachel looked up from her work of pruning the maze hedges and smiled at her daughter, who ran up and received a hug.

"What are you doing here dear?"

"Seto invited us to see his card collection. I promise I'll head home afterwards Mother." Rachel kissed her step-daughter's forehead and gave her a playful spank to get her moving.

"Run along then, Seto used to hate it when you were late to coming over." Kisara blushed and headed for the doors. They opened with only a touch, revealing Seto standing in front of the typical two rows of maids waiting to assist the guests with their shoes and coats.

"I'm please you all were able to come. It's been a while since you last were here Kisara." Kisara nodded her agreement.

"You've done a few changes," Kisara pointed out as they headed down the hallway.

"Nothing big, just a few touches here and there."

"Kisara!" Mokuba shouted as he leapt up from his hiding place and tackled the girl. "Remember when I did that when we were kids?" Kisara laughed and tousled the boy's hair.

"Yes, Mokie, I remember." She looked down at the boy but instead of his school clothes, she saw him dressed in a beige smock climbing into her bed. A warm something was next to her arm and she could feel a cold bite of night air. She blinked again and the image faded.

"Alright Mokuba, let her up." Mokuba let out an "Aw" of disappointment but obeyed his brother.

"I don' like dis," Joey said. "Dos three seem a little _too _close to be just friends from childhood."

"Well, maybe there are some feeling more than friendship between Kaiba and Kisara. But I definitely think that Mokuba only sees Kisara as a sister/mother figure." The group started back down the hallway, with Joey and Tristan making comments towards each other until Joey grabbed Tristan by the collar of his shirt.

"You wanna go a couple rounds loud mouth?!" Téa got in between her friends.

"Come on you two. Don't start fighting now, let's try to act civilized instead." Seto chuckled.

"Don't worry about it Téa. If there's nothing to see around here it gets boring after a while." They started down the hall again but Kisara tripped on her own foot and grabbed Seto's arm for support. The two looked at each other, partially surprised and partially embarrassed. Kisara righted herself.

"Sorry, it seems there's a lot of distractions today huh?" Seto shrugged.

"I don't mind," he said putting his hand on the handle of a doorknob. "We're here anyway." Seto opened the door. "This is it Kisara, It's only grown a little here and there but still…" Kisara smiled as she and the others looked around.

"There's got to be a good fifty more than the last time I was here." She looked up at the trophies on top of the shelves. "Those weren't here when I last saw this place."

"Oh, those old things? They're from Duel Monster's tournaments I've gone to and won."

"Tournaments?" Everyone asked. Daemon didn't seem to take interest. His eyes were locked on Kisara.

"Kaiba," Melody squeaked as she walked up to the boy. "How about instead of all these cards you tell us about the amusement parks you're making."

"Uh Melody, if you'd like to go I've got some tickets," Tristan said. Seto smiled.

"I could arrange for all of us to go spend a day at one of the amusement parks I've built. Just say the date." Melody threw her arms around the boy, making Tristan clench in anger and Kisara's pendant flashed, making her flinch in pain.

"Kisara, I'd bet you've got some good rare cards huh?" Daemon said. Seto's pendant flashed and his fist clenched slightly.

"Not with me, no."

"But didn't you have a Red-Eyes Black Dragon back when we were kids?" Mokuba asked.

"Really?" Daemon asked. "I'd like to see it."

"Kisara, show him now," Tristan urged.

"Yea," Joey agreed.

"Well, I suppose," Kisara said lightly.

"Thanks. My sister just started learning the game and if she found out I knew someone who owned a Red-Eyes, she'd freak." The group headed for the door, save for Mokuba and Seto.

"Aren't you coming?" Kisara asked as she was the last to leave.

"I'd love to but I have pressing work along with that homework in Miss Medusa's class." Kisara smiled and waved good-bye as she shut the door.

"Why didn't you tell her how you've been feeling for the past four years?" Mokuba asked.

"Because Mokuba, if she said no, it would be awkward between us for the rest of our lives. If she only views me as a friend and not the way I feel about her, I'll live with it as long as she'll be _in _my life." Mokuba looked towards the door and nodded at his brother's decision.

* * *

>"Father! I'm home and I brought company!" Kisara called as she and Daemon stepped through the door and removed their shoes.<p><p>

"I'm in the kitchen!" Kisara entered the room and gave her step-father a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

"What're you doing Father?" Kisara asked as she observed the table covered in Duel Monster cards.

"I'm getting up to date with todays games. But there's one I've had since the game started." He picked up one card. "This one; High Priest of Darkness." He held up a card featuring a man dressed in thick black armor, a white mask with a curved portion missing to reveal a golden eye and long red hair fell around him. Daemon's eyes sparked.

_"Impossible!" _he thought. Kisara shivered and her pendant flashed again.

"_What _is _that thing? And why am I so scared of it?"_ she thought.

"Wow, that's a creepy picture," Melody said.

"I wouldn't keep dat in my house," Joey said. Roland sighed.

"Seems you kids don't exactly understand. I got this card from a friend of mine who works for Maximillion Pegasus. True I find the picture slightly disturbing-"

"Then why keep it in your house?!" Tristan demanded. "Too many people keep things they don't like and eventually it causes huge problems."

"Tristan, calm down. It's a single card and I'm fairly sure that it won't reproduce in my house."

"Well, uh…"

"Sir," Daemon said as he stepped forward. "That High Priest of Darkness I'll take it off your hands for these cards," Daemon said as he opened his black bag to reveal hundreds of rare cards."

"Whoa!" Joey shouted.

"No." Joey almost leapt into the air.

"And that refusal was also whoa!"

"May I ask why not?" Daemon said.

"What's your name kid?"

"Daemon Sanders."

"Well Daemon, it's true I don't like the picture but the friend that gave this to me is one I've practically grown up with. I keep the card because this card has my heart and his heart within it." Daemon smiled lightly.

"Oh, I see. It seems I was mistaken." He closed his bag and lheaded for the door. "Sorry about cutting the visit short Kisara but I have to return home soon. My father hates tardiness especially for meals. I'll see you at school."

"Bye!" Kisara said just before the sound of the door shutting rang in the house.

"Nice work Mister Isono!" Joey said.

"Yea, you told him good!" Téa said. Kisara sighed, an uneasy feeling was beginning to set in her gut.

* * *

>Daemon looked out the window as his limo drove him home.<p><p>

"I _will _have that High Priest of Darkness Ruby, if it's the last thing I do." There was a girl sitting on the opposite end of the seat from Daemon. Her hair was black but ruby-red near the tips, giving off the idea she'd dyed it at one point. Her eyes mirrored Daemon's perfectly.

"Very well Daemon. You know neither Father nor myself will hold you back." Her voice sounded the same as Daemon's did; warm and sweet like melted chocolate.

* * *

>"Alright, now you both start with five cards in your hand and two thousand life points for this game," Kisara explained. Joey and Tristan were seated at a desk with a Duel Monsters playing board spread before them. "You each pick one card from the top of your decks, one at a time."<p><p>

"Alright then, I'll start," Tristan said. "Oh, Zombie with 800 ATK. SO this guy naturally does to the graveyard field."

"My turn," Joey said. "Oh, Dark Dragon with 1500 ATK. ALrigh' I won!" Joey said. Tristan cursed under his breath.

"No, Tristan won," Kisara said.

"What? How?" Both boys asked.

"True that Dark Dragon would beat Zombie in a normal fight but with Zombie in the graveyard field his power doubles, making him stronger than Dark Dragon by 100 points. Choosing the right field can give your monster a huge advantage." Joey threw down his cards in frustration.

"Seems like my cards have the heart of a Beautification member already."

"Really? A zombie in a Beautification member's deck? It seems kinda dirty if ya ask me."

"Good thing no one's asking you then," Tristan said.

"Morning!" Melody said as she and Téa entered the room. "Hey, are Joey and Tristan playing Duel Monsters?" she asked.

"Yea, they want to beat Seto," Kisara said. Seto chuckled from his chair.

"Like that'll ever happen."

"What did you say?!" Both boys asked as Daemon entered the room.

"Morning Kisara."

"Hi Daemon!"

"Hey, about that call last night…" Kisara smiled and picked up her backpack as Seto shot an inquiring look at Daemon and Kisara.

"Father said I could bring it to school today as long as I'm careful," Kisara said as she pulled the High Priest of Darkness from the depths of her bag.

"Thank you Kisara, my father was an old friend of Maximillion Pegasus and he never knew about the making of this card."

"Here we go, the High Priest of Darkness," Kisara said handing it gingerly to Daemon.

"Amazing, now I can really tell my father that I've held a card he's never even known of!" Daemon's smirk became a little more cruel as he reached a hand into his back pocket. _"Stupid girl. I've got a copy right here and you're too niave to think that I'd try to take the real thing from under your nose." _He made to return the card but dropped it. "Oh, sorry about that Kisara." He bent down and swapped the fake for the real card, giving Kisara the fake. "Here we go, the High Priest of Darkness." Joey and Tristan glared at the boy.

* * *

>Kisara kept her eyes locked on the High Priest of Darkness as Seto's car rolled to a stop in front of her.<p><p>

"Kisara I would've thought you'd be with Joey and Tirstan," Seto said.

"Why?"

"Because they said they'd be challenging Daemon to a Duel." Kisara gasped.

"Oh no, those boys."

* * *

>"Calling me here this late, what do you two want?" Daemon asked as he turned from the chicken wire fencing on the school roof.<p><p>

"Don't act innocent Daemon. We saw you take that card from Kisara. My eyes don't miss a single speck of dust, let alone you stealing that card from her." Daemon chuckled.

"Now that's just cruel. Accusing me of such a crime? Why would I want to steal from Kisara? She's a real sweetheart." Joey grabbed Daemon by the collar of his shirt.

"Don't mess with us," Joey warned.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Daemon warned. Joey cursed under his breath and went to punch the smug boy but was caught by one of the men that Seto, as the Mind, had attacked the other night, who punched him into the chicken wire fence.

"Joey!" Tristan shouted as he ran over to his fallen friend.

"I hope you don't think too ill of me but these men are supposed to protect me you see," Daemon said as he stepped away from Joey and Tristan.

A few seconds later Kisara and Seto barged onto the roof and Kisara screamed in shock as Joey and Tristan fell unconscious to the ground.

"Joey! Tristan!" she called.

"Please understand Kisara," Daemon began.

"Don't try to feed us that crap! Kisara explained everything to me on the way here Daemon," Seto said.

"What?"

"About how you switched my father's card with a fake."

"How-"

"I'm not an idiot Daemon. The official cards have the logo of the company written just under the picture. It's a key element you forgot when making your counterfeit. But I was naive enough to believe that you'd give it back because you yourself said that you loved games. That card has my father's heart in it. Please give it back," Kisara said placing a hand on Daemon's shoulder. His eyes flashed.

"Street urchin, unhand me!" His voice became rough and hard as he shoved Kisara to the ground. She gasped in shock as Seto came over and pulled her to her feet, holding her in his arms.

"You've got some gall punk."

"What is all of this nonsense about hearts being in cards anyway? There's no way anything so stupid can exist." He checked his watch. "I have to go now, but my men will handle the rest of this." He snapped his fingers and one man grabbed Seto and the other yanked Kisara away before both proceded to pun ch them hard enough in the gut that Kisara threw up. The man that grabbed Seto grabbed his hair and made him look at him.

"This is for the other night boy," he said as he landed another punch to the boy's stomach. The two guards headed for the exit but found their way barred by Mokuba. The boy's eyes were blank and the dragon pendant around his neck was shining. Kisara and Seto's pendants also began to glow and their eyes blanked.

"The other night huh?" Seto said as he and Kisara stood up. "Perhaps you still need to learn a little lesson." Kisara smirked.

* * *

>"Daemon." Daemon turned to see Kisara, Seto and Mokuba all standing in front of him.<p><p>

"So you were the one that controlled those men," Seto said. Daemon snarled.

"Kaiba, Kisara, and the little brat brother."

* * *

>"Mokuba, you realize this is foolish right?" Daemon asked as the four gathered in a classroom, around a desk set up for a Duel Monsters Duel. "You're going up against a Duel Monsters expert."<p><p>

"Just shut up and play the game," Seto ordered. Daemon raised his hands in an act of peace.

"Calm down Kaiba. I'm only trying to make small talk." Kisara scoffed.

"We both start out with two thousand lifepoints and forty cards each." Mokuba said.

"I know that," Daemon said as he took his seat. Seto and Kisara stood on either side of Mokuba. "_This feels strange. Like these three are totally different people." _

_"_Let me warn you, this game won't be like the others that you've played."

"I look forward to knowing how."

"Game… Start!" Mokuba said.

"I'll start things off," Daemon said as he picked up a card from his deck. "Level 5 Gargoyle and I'll place him in the Dark Forest field." Mokuba smirked as the desks started shaking. The board seemed to stretch until it fit the room and a hot magenta Gargoyle loomed over the group. "What?"

"He told you didn't he?" Kisara said. "This game won't be like the other's you've played."

"I'll block your attack with Dark Dragon. A creature with 1500 ATK. And I'll put him in the Lake area. Let the battle start!" Daemon snarled as the Dark Dragon sunk it's teeth into the Gargoyle, turning it into a pile of rubble. **Daemon: 2000-1500. **Daemon reached for the card to put it into the graveyard area but the card vanished.

"What?"

"This is a Duel Monsters Hikari Game. The losing card vanished completely," Mokuba said. Daemon chuckled.

"Well Mokuba, I have to hand it to you. You sure know how to make a boring old card game interesting. But I'm afraid the Duel won't last very long. Not with this card." He slapped it down, showing a Minotaur wearing gold and red armor and a battle axe. "Minotaurus, one of the strongest rare cards there is, especially when placed in the desert field." The Minotaur exploded out of the dry sands.

"Attack!" Mokuba shouted.

"Useless, the Minotaur's attack and defense is too high for the dragon." The Minotaur swung his axe, lopping the dragon's head off. **Mokuba: 2000-1500. **"Hurry up kid, it's your move now. It's doubtful that you'll find anything that can beat Minotaurus so quickly." Mokuba drew his next card and showed the two people over his shoulder.

"_Mystical Elf," _Kisara thought. _"Her attack's not high enough to pose a threat but her defense is more than likely enough to hold Minotaurus off for a little while." _Daemon put his Minotaur in Defense mode and Mokuba did the same with Mystical Elf. Daemon drew his next card.

"I can't use this now so I'll put it face-down for now." Mokuba's eyes widened slightly.

_"A magic card," _Mokuba thought. He derw his next card and shook his head at the weak monster in his hand.

"Alright then," Daemon said. "I'll activate the magic card I put down earlier." He slapped it down on the Minotaurus. "Growth." Mokuba snarled as the Minotaur grew even larger. "Thanks to this card, my Minotaur grows further." The axe flashed and the Elf fell back unmoving. "Nice try Mokuba, but my Minotaurus is too strong for any of your monsters. Now then, play your last card and let's finish this Duel." Mokuba drew and smiled.

"My family and I don't give up easily."

"That's just fine," Daemon said.

"My card is Demon!" He threw down the card, revealing a skeletal creature with darkened, burned skin. "He goes to the Dark Forest field."

_"What? One of the best five rare cards?! How did this brat get that?!" _Mokuba smirked as the Demon destroyed the Minotaur. "One of my best cards destroyed so easily?!" Daemon demanded as the card vanished. **Daemon: 1500-1200. **

"I'm liking this game. We don't know to whom this game will go," Mokuba said. Kisara and Seto chuckled behind him. "You don't have a monster that can stand up to Demon."

"I can promise one thing: This game isn't won by heart," Daemon said as he pulled the stolen card from his pocket and placed it on the top of his deck, thinking the gesture went unnoticed. Seto's jaw clenched tightly. "My next card is: High Priest of Darkness!" He slammed the card onto the Dark Field area. "This card gains a thousand points for every card in my graveyard. That brings his total to 2000 ATK but the Dark Forest area gives him a power boost! Enough to destroy Demon! Kill it Priest!" Daemon started laughing but the Priest remained still. "What's going on?! Attack the Demon already!"

"It won't," Kisara said. "The destiny to fight and the loyalty to my father are clashing. The High Priest of Darkness holds my father's good heart within him."

"And as a resolution he will destroy himself," Mokuba finished as he bowed his head and the card vanished.

"That's impossible! Cards don't have will of their own!" Mokuba smirked.

"Think that if you like. My next card is: Monster Reborn!"

"_What?!" _Daemon thought.

"This card allows me to bring back one monster card from either graveyard and I choose High Priest of Darkness!" Daemon snarled as the Priest appeared on Mokuba's side of the field. He drew his next card and stared down at the weak creature in his hand, infuriated.

_"Gremlin doesn't have the power to stand up to the High Priest of Darkness." _He stared at the board, more specifically, at the rocky area in between the volcano and forest area. _"Wait, that's it._" He slapped the card down. "Activate Gremlin's special ability! Split the Land!" The images around the four began to smoke and diappear. "Split the Land makes the Duel end in a draw. We'll meet again!" IN one last puff of smoke, Daemon was gone and the desk was broken in half.

"What else do you expect from a self-proclaimed Duel Monsters expert?" Mokuba asked as he picked up the High Priest of Darkness card off the floor.

"Heart, you didn't really activate a Hikari Game, did you?" Mokuba looked up and smiled with blank eyes.

"Only for the losing monsters. Other than that, no."

* * *

>Daemon roared in rage as a blood-red curtain ripped free of the wall. Ruby was leaning against the door, watching the boy. The walls of his room were covered in gashes that were grouped together in four long lines. The bed was flipped over against the wall and the final curtain was now in Daemon's hand.<p><p>

"I swear, I will not rest until those three are on their knees from the agony of defeat! I swear it Ruby!" The girl raised her hands and walked away.

* * *

>Kisara, Joey, Mokuba, Seto and Téa were all walking down the street towards school.<p><p>

"Hey Kisara, it's great about what happened with the card right?"

"Hey, I'm just happy we had help from Joey and Tristan," Kisara said.

"Yea, if it weren't for those two, those guards would've probably killed us," Seto said.

"We didn' do nutin'. But who did?" Melody's high pitched squeal of delight echoed up the road.

"This is way better than a taxi!" she called as she clung tightly to Tristan as they rode down on his bike.

"You think so Melody?"

"Faster Tristan! Faster!"

"Yes ma'am!" Tristan pedaled harder and barely missed clipping Kisara. She stumbled back into Seto's arms as the bike-riders shot past. Kisara's face turned fifty shades of red. Neither of them noticed Tristan or Melody yelling until the rest of the group ran towards the pair that had run into an electric pole. The pair rushed over to join their friends.

"Are you guys alright?" Kisara asked.

"Kisara, I doubt Tristan could be any happier or feeling any better right now," Seto said. "He's got Melody on his chest and in his arms, what more could he want?" Kisara started chuckling.

"Well, that's a good thing I guess."

* * *

><strong>Pheonix: I have another episode to write then the Egyptian Nights! It is Monday before my anniversary! GAH IT'S 8 O'CLOCK AND I STILL NEED A SHOWER! Bye and please review!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Cerberus: Hey everyone. I don't know what's up with my Hikari lately. Phoenix is alive, don't worry. She's not hurt or anything, but she just isn't as inspired as she used to be. Maybe it has something to do with how much homework she has for school even in the summer. Now, I don't normally do this kind of thing, but I've decided you guys have had a long enough dry spell. **

**Phoenix *Knocks Cerberus over the head*: Were you not there when I updated two days in a row Cerberus? My Forged Wedding then Iron Man: Armored Secrets. Sorry if my Yami bothered you my dear readers. Here's a new chapter and I hope you all enjoy. Please review!**

**The Great Timepiece**

**By Sailor Phoenix1997**

"Father! Do you have the time?!" Kisara called as she pulled on a pink jacket over a blue button-up sundress and a pair of tan-colored sandals. She entered the kitchen and stuffed a piece of toast into her mouth as she tightened her sandals and Roland checked his watch.

"Yes, it's high time you got a watch," he joked. Kisara chuckled with him. "It's five 'til seven dear. Why?"

"Because I promised everyone that I'd meet them at the arcade when it opened at seven thirty. Seto and Mokuba are going to be there since Gozaboro's in Europe for the next few weeks and you know how Seto gets when people are late. And I should really get that watch so I really don't end up this late again," she muttered as she headed for the door.

"Kisara!" Roland called as he followed her. The girl looked back and blinked absently at her stepfather with her toast in her mouth.

"What is it Father?"

"Don't 'what is it Father?' me young lady. You should know better than to run and eat at the same time. It's bad for the digestive system."

"But if I'm late, I'll inconvenience everyone. I've got to go now!" Kisara called as she ran out the door before her step-father could call her back. He chuckled lightly and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"'Everyone' huh? I remember when you would come home after school and play with puzzles and Soduku books back when you were in middle school. It's nice to have your old friends back huh dear?" he sighed as his thoughts turned to the dragon-shaped pendant that hung around his daughter's neck ever since she'd put it together. "That pendant's more than likely an artifact from ancient times. I just hope she won't be foolish enough to tell anyone besides her friends that little fact. The very last thing I want is for Kisara to get in trouble for something she couldn't control."

* * *

><p>Kisara looked around at all the people as she squeezed through a number of them.<p>

"There sure are a lot of people out today," she said as she looked up at the street signs. "Oh, the store's just around this corner." Smiling and nodding a good morning to the other passersby Kisara neared the store only to freeze in her tracks. "Holy cow," she muttered.

In front of her were a good dozen or two people in a line that lead into a single watch store. Kisara stepped into the line before she decided to investigate closer. She tapped the shoulder of the man in front of her.

"Excuse me sir, but what's with the line?" The man smiled at her.

"The new model of the D-Shock watch is coming out today." Kisara blinked.

"You mean the limited quantity D-Shock?" The man nodded. Kisara's eyebrows raised a bit. "Awesome."

"I quite agree," said a familiar voice behind Kisara. Despite the familiarity, the whitette still jumped as she spun, revealing Tristan to be the one behind her. Fanning herself to calm her rapidly beating heart, Kisara took in what Tristan was wearing: a white shirt with a green sweater vest overtop it, a pair of khaki pants and brown shoes.

"Tristan, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Kisara joked as she punched the boy's arm playfully. Tristan chuckled.

"No. I'm just trying to get a D-Shock for Melody. She called me this morning and said she would like one but her parents want her to do some chores before she comes out so she asked me if I'd buy it for her." Kisara smiled.

"In that case, go ahead of me. I'm just trying to get a watch like my father suggested." Tristan smiled and nodded his thanks as he and Kisara switched places. Slowly the line moved forward until Tristan bought the D-Shock and it was Kisara's turn. The store clerk smiled kindly at her.

"Is there something I can help you with today?" he asked.

"Yes, I'd like to buy a watch. Any kind is fine I just need to know the time but other features would be acceptable as well." The clerk nodded.

"Miss, you truly are lucky." Kisara blinked in confusion as the clerk turned to face the rest of the line. "Everyone else in line! My apologies however, the limited D-Shock is now sold out!"

"What?!" Everyone in line said, astonished. Some people started chuckling, saying it had been somewhat exciting just trying to get one and they'd do it again next time. One person however, was not amused in the least.

He was a darker-skinned man dressed in a pair of jeans, a fleece interior orange hoodie that was zipped up in the front, a purple hat that was tight on his head, a pair of green-rimmed sunglasses and a gold ring in his left nostril.

_"What was that?!" _he thought as he snarled and moved out of the line towards the front. Kisara placed her money on the counter.

"The last one? You're right sir. I sure am lucky," she said with a smile. The man nodded as he took the money off the counter and replaced it with the watch's box.

"Here you are miss. Thank you for your business."

"Thank yo-" Kisara started as she reached for her purchase, only to have another hand slam down on the box instead, making her jump.

"I'll be taking this," said the dark-skinned man as he tightened his grip on the box.

"I beg your pardon?" Kisara asked. "I just-"

"This kind of rare item is wasted on the likes of you," the man said as he rolled up his sleeves, revealing many colored watches that had the clerk interested.

"A-Are those…?"

"They're Swiss Color Watches Special Variation," the man snapped. "Only when they are together like this are they a collection. In this whole world, there's about 100 of each ten types. In this whole country…No. This whole world there is no other person who has collected all ten types! Do you understand little girl?"

_"Little?! I'm in high school! And I'm not that short!" _Kisara thought angrily.

"So you see, this D-Shock collection only has true value to someone like me, a rare watch collector," the man continued, ignoring Kisara's angry look. "An amateur like you who doesn't understand the true value of rare watches doesn't deserve to possess it." Kisara took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Sir, I-" The man grabbed the front of her dress and yanked her close until they were nose-to-nose.

"Are you really trying to oppose me?" the man growled as he pulled a hand back, only to have it grabbed at the wrist.

"Threatening to hit a girl? You really are quite pathetic?" said a very familiar voice as its owner flicked his wrist, sending the other man to the floor and sending Kisara into the arms of her savior. "I don't care if you're the zoo janitor or the Queen of England, you still need to obey the rules."

"Who made you someone to tell me what to do Kaiba brat?!" the man demanded as he stood up. Seto moved Kisara behind him and glared at the man.

"Hello? Police?" the clerk said into a phone. The man growled and left the store quickly. Seto took a deep breath before turning to Kisara.

"Are you alright Kisara?" he asked. The whitette nodded.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way to the arcade to meet up with you guys but then I had to-"

"Oh Mr. Kaiba!" the clerk said. "Come to get what you ordered?" Kaiba nodded and the clerk disappeared into the back room for a moment before reappearing with a box much like Kisara's.

"Thank you," Seto said as he pulled out a blue D-Shock with white buttons and slipped it onto his wrist.

"Seto…When did you-" Seto smirked.

"I've got a small business deal with the owner of the company that makes the D-Shock. It's between him and me you understand." Kisara nodded as she picked up her own D-Shock and opened the box, revealing the white-silver watch with pale blue buttons.

"Awesome," Kisara said as she put on her own watch.

* * *

><p>"Doesn't it look great?!" Melody said as Tristan helped her put on her new yellow D-Shock. Joey's eyes were the size of saucers as he looked at the watches adorning his friends' wrists.<p>

"Whoa! Yea day do!" he agreed as his mouth hung open.

"Joey, you're drooling," Mokuba pointed out. The blonde quickly wiped away at the offending fluid.

"It's good to have friends, isn't it Melody?" Téa said with a cocked eyebrow.

"Of course! I love you Tristan!" Melody exclaimed as she threw her arms around Tristan's neck for a moment. Joey smirked at his friend's cherry-red face.

"Did ya hear dat Tristan? She said I love ya. Dat must be real nice ta hear…After standing in line for her and all," the bonde mocked.

"Shut up!" Tristan shouted. "I was only doing what any man should've done. Just look around you! Filth runs deeper than the sewers. It flows through the hearts of man! And so I as a beautification club member must work hard and persevere over that filth in order to clean the other hearts!"

"Going a little far, don't you think?" Kisara said.

"I don't think it can be helped," Seto sighed. Kisara and Mokuba nodded.

"Aren't we here to play around for a bit…Not judge each other?" Téa asked as she gestured to the arcade doors behind them.

"Hey Melody, I have a favor to ask," Joey said as the others stepped towards the door.

"Yes?" she said as she cocked her head to the side.

"Do you think I could borrow your D-Shock for de day? Just to wear it?" Melody touched her new watch.

"Why?"

"Because I've never had a chance like dis before so I only want to wear it while we're here, I promise I'll give it back when you need to go home." Melody smiled.

"Alright. As long as you don't lose it."

"WAIT ONE MINUTE!" Tristan roared in Joey's ear. The blonde slapped a hand over his ear and glared at the brunette.

"What's de matter with ya Tristan?! Yer gonna make me go deaf!" Tristan's face screwed itself into a scowl/pout.

"Rock, paper, scissors," he said plainly. Joey stared at him blankly.

"Has he lost his mind?" Mokuba asked. Kisara shrugged.

"Who knows?" None of the group noticed the man from the watch store watching them from behind a nearby corner.

"What're ya talkin' about Tristan?" Joey asked.

"Rock, paper, scissors. Whoever wins gets to wear Melody's D…Whatever," Tristan explained. Joey, Seto and Kisara sighed all at once.

"It's a D-Shock Tristan," Kisara explained.

"Yea. Really T, if ya don't know de name, what makes ya think you should wear it?" Joey asked.

"Whatever!" Tristan yelled. "Rock, paper, scissors!" Joey rolled his eyes.

"Ya know what? Whatever man. If it'll make ya feel better, I'll play." The two held out one fist each.

"Ready?" Tristan said.

"One! Two!..."

* * *

><p>Tristan beamed down at his prize and rubbed his cheek against it.<p>

_"It's almost as if I can feel Melody's warm love through the watch!" _he thought as the rattle of tokens sounded next to him.

"Whoa! So much came out!" Mokuba said as he looked over at Kisara who was smiling at him.

"You've got the lucky touch Mokuba. That's for sure," she agreed. Mokuba turned to face Tristan and his brother, who was leaning against a support beam watching the others.

"Hey bro, Tristan check out…" Mokuba's beaming face turned to one of worried confusion when he noticed what Tristan was doing. "Um…Tristan?" he asked as Kisara snapped her fingers in front of his face. Seto shook his head as he walked over.

"He's too caught up in the watch to focus on anything else," he muttered as he stuck his hand in his pocket. Kisara took hold of the crook of his elbow, catching his attention.

"I'm getting really worried about him," she muttered. "That guy from the store seemed really anxious to get a D-Shock and if Tristan's off in La-La land he might be attacked by that guy for it." Seto sighed and shook his head.

"I doubt he would. A watch is nothing to start a brawl over, no matter how valuable it is." Kisara nodded.

"But not all people have the same ideals as you big brother," Mokuba said. Seto ruffled his hair a little.

"Don't worry Mokuba, I doubt that guy's anywhere near here," Seto said, not realizing the man in question was standing not more than a few yards from them behind a crane machine.

Slowly, he walked over, passing another man who tapped one of his Swiss watches with the bag he was carrying. The man stopped and clutched his watch tightly as he turned to face the man who was completely oblivious to what he'd done.

"Hey!" The other man turned to face the watch man as he snarled and advanced on him.

"Is something wrong sir?" he asked as he backed up. The man held up the arm holding the watch that had been bumped.

"Do you have any idea what this is?" he snarled. The other man shook his head.

"Did I scratch your watch? My apologies, I had no idea," he said as the man holding the watches made him back up into the restroom. The watch man popped his knuckles and punched the man across the face, sending him head first into the pipe back of one of the toilets.

"Let this be a lesson to you," the watch man said as he looked at his unharmed watch. "Had you actually scratched my watch, I would've killed you." He moved to leave the restroom when the door opened and Tristan walked in.

"Aw man Kaiba. When I say I'm no good at games it means I'm no good at games," he muttered as he made his way to the sink and turned on the water. He moved to put his hands under the faucet when he yanked them back. "Oh! If I got this wet, I'd be in huge trouble," he said as he slipped off the watch and moved to put it in his back pocket, unaware that it was buttoned shut and the watch collector was right behind him. Tristan released the watch right into the man's waiting palm.

Quickly, he left the restroom, clutching his prize.

"You actually saved me a lot of trouble kid. Thanks," he said quietly.

* * *

><p>"You're going home already Melody?" Kisara asked as the twilight light turned the arcade green. Melody nodded.<p>

"My mom and dad are going out tonight and they want to make sure I'm safe and sound at home before they do so I have an early curfew tonight." Tristan sighed then straightened up when he remembered something.

"Oh then, I should give you your watch back," he said as he reached for his back pocket, only to find no watch. His smile instantly vanished.

"Is something wrong?" Melody asked as Tristan started patting his other pockets.

"Don't tell me ya lost it," Joey said. Tristan began patting his pockets even quicker.

"I-I know it's here somewhere. One moment please." Kisara looked to the side and noticed the watch collector behind another crane machine, smirking at them.

"What's he up to?" she asked.

"Who?" Seto replied. Kisara moved her hand to point at the man when…

"OH NO!" Tristan screamed as he threw off his vest, shirt and pants and began searching his underwear. Téa and Kisara screamed as the latter covered Mokuba's eyes and whirled him around. "I know I had the watch! WHERE'D IT GO?!" Melody swung her hand and hit Tristan so hard he fell to the ground before she turned in the other direction and started running and crying.

"Tristan you absolute IDIOT! I hate you! I really hate you!" she cried as she ran towards the exit.

"Wait! Melody!" Tristan shouted before he put his face back on the floor.

"Put your clothes back on you nutjob!" Seto yelled as he threw the clothes over Tristan.

"I hope no one else saw that," Mokuba breathed as Kisara took her hands away from his eyes and Tristan began re-dressing himself. "Because I think I'm scarred for life." Kisara looked back at the crane machine which was now abandoned by the collector.

"He's gone," she muttered.

* * *

><p>Tristan crawled over the floor muttering to himself as he looked desperately for Melody's watch.<p>

"OH! Where on earth is Melody's stupid watch?!" he screamed at last as his friends came up around him.

"It's no use Tristan, we've looked all over," Téa said.

"So dat means ya lost it," Joey said. "Now it's really getting' late. We better get home."

"I can't leave yet!" Tristan said, still on all fours on the floor with tears evident in his eyes. "It's my fault! I'm the one who lost Melody's precious D…Whatever!" Joey, Seto and Kisara sighed at once again, then looked at each other.

"We gotta stop doing that," they said in unison. They turned to Tristan again. "And it's not a D-Whatever. It's a D-Shock!" they said in unison again. They looked at each other one more time before shaking their heads.

"That was weird," Mokuba said.

"I agree," Téa replied with a nod.

"Whatever!" Tristan yelled just before someone stepped on his hand. "OW!" The man moved off Tristan's hand but smirked down at them, it was the watch collector.

"Oh, my bad. I thought it was a washcloth or something," he mocked. Tristan and Seto narrowed their eyes at him.

"You again," Seto snarled. Joey reached forward and grabbed the man by his orange hoodie.

"What's with ya punk?! What kinda washcloth looks like someone's hand?!"

"Cut that out Joey," Tristan said as he stood up. "If you have the energy to fight that guy, use it to help me find the watch instead." Tristan walked away with a sullen expression. The collector smirked as he brushed Joey's hands away.

"What he said," he said quickly as he headed for the stairs that lead to the basement. Kisara sighed.

"What's wrong Kisara?" Seto asked. "You think that guy did it right? Maybe we should tell Tristan…" Kisara shook her head.

"I have no proof he took it. It could be my word against his…" Suddenly an alarm began to blare. Kisara snapped her attention forward to where Tristan was lifting a machine as the manager and another passer-by came over.

"What do you think you're doing kid?!" the manager yelled.

"You have to stop!" the passer-by said as he and the Manager pulled Tristan away from the machine. Kisara surged forward but froze when she looked at the passer-by. He had a dark bruise forming on his face in a pattern that looked similar to the pattern for the bathroom toilets and a blotch on his jaw.

"Please let go of me! I'm only looking for something I've lost! I have to find it so please let me go!" Tristan yelled.

"Oh Tristan," Joey muttered as he, Téa and Mokuba moved forward to help him. Kisara's jaw clenched as she turned towards the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" Seto asked as he stretched out an arm to stop her.

"See that man holding Tristan and the bruises on his face?" Seto looked and nodded. "I think that he got it from that man who stole the D-Shock. I heard a commotion in the bathroom earlier. Maybe that's when it happened. I just want to check it out." Seto tightened his grip on the girl's waist.

"And what do you think will that accomplish? A few bruises on you that look like that? Not today Kisara," he said sternly.

"Look, it should only take a few minutes. If I'm not back in ten then come find me okay?" Seto sighed.

"I'll give you five. I don't want you alone with that guy. Who knows what he'll do." Kisara smiled and kissed Seto's cheek tenderly.

"Thanks," she said as she pulled away but what she saw, wasn't Seto…But it was. He was holding her in the same grip, with the same look in his eyes but they were outside on a beach or in the desert Kisara couldn't tell. She blinked and the image faded.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. Kisara shook her head.

"You help the others get Tristan and I'll check out that guy," she said as she ducked under his arm and made a dash for the stairs.

The inside of the stairwell as nothing like the bright, happy-looking arcade. The walls were solid concrete with no colorful paint or wallpaper for decoration and steel railings, making the entire place seem cold and desolate. Kisara peeked over the railing and saw the collector going into the A/C room…The D-Shock was clutched tightly in his hand.

Kisara muffled a gasp as she headed down the steel stairs on tiptoe.

* * *

><p>Joey, Tristan, Mokuba and Téa sighed miserably as the outside skies turned from blue to black.<p>

"First the watch, then Kisara, now Kaiba's gone," Téa breathed.

"Where could they have gone?" Mokuba asked.

"No clue kiddo," Joey sighed. Tristan pushed himself up with a long heaving sigh.

"I'm going to double check the restrooms," Tristan mumbled. The group watched him go before all three released a sigh.

* * *

><p>Seto looked around at the end of the stairwell.<p>

"_Really, that girl," _he thought.

"Let go!" came a chocked noise from the A/C room.

"What do you want kid? My watch?" Seto snarled lightly to himself as he neared the doors.

"Do have to lie to yourself?" Kisara growled. The sound of skin on skin echoed in Seto's ears as he grabbed hold of the handle to push it open, only to discover it was locked.

"What was that princess? You say something?" Seto saw red at the sound of Kisara's strangled gasps for air.

* * *

><p>Kisara gently wrapped a hand around her neck where the collector had been gripping her mere seconds ago.<p>

"Owning something this rare gives me the greatest high!" he yelled as he kicked her, sending her from her hands and knees to her back. Kisara could've sworn she heard one or two of her ribs creak in protest to their harsh treatment before her vision went dark.

Satisfied with his work, the watch collector turned towards the doors, not noticing the shadows behind and under the unconscious girl beginning to stir and form a solitary figure as the pendant around her neck flashed.

The collector grabbed hold of the door handles and tried to open the door to no avail.

"What's going on? How can these doors be locked? Seriously…"

"I think it's high time for a game," said a new voice behind him. The collector snapped around to face Kaiba pushing Kisara to sit against the wall. His eyes were blank and his pendant still held a light glow.

"Why you-" Seto turned and smirked as the man charged at him.

"Careful, you could be putting yourself in danger." The collector froze just as a large red pendulum swung past. The room, once filled with a water boiler and pipes was now filled with gears of all shapes and sizes, all moving at once in the same way they'd work in a watch.

"What on earth is this?!" the collector demanded.

"We're just going to play a simple game."

"What?"

"However it's a Hikari Game. The D-Shock you've stolen is going to be the prize for the victor," Seto explained. The collector touched the pocket of his hoodie and discovered the D-Shock's wristband was poking out. He pulled out the device.

"What are you talking about brat? This is-" Before the collector had a chance to finish a door at his feet opened, letting out a small coo-coo bird that snatched the watch from his hand before disappearing into its tiny home in the floor. The collector got down on his hands and knees and began pulling at the tiny red and gold doors. "My…My D-Shock!"

"It's not truly yours is it?" Seto asked. "However, should you win our game, the Body and I will gladly say that it is your possession." The collector looked up.

"Game?" he snarled. Seto smirked.

"Well? Are you in?" The collector stood up.

"Of course I am!" he snapped. "I'll play whatever game you want!"

"There's no need to get so angry," Seto chastised. "Now, the rules are fairly simple. At the start of the game, the pigeon will appear as before and the D-Shock's stopwatch will start. And whichever of us gets closer to ten seconds is the winner."

"Is that all?" asked the collector. "What a stupid game."

"However, if you exceed ten seconds, that pendulum from before will appear and…Well, you get the idea. Remember, you can walk away now without suffering or you can take your chances with this game."

"Do not mock me you brat! Of course I'm in!" the collector yelled, his ears turning a bit red.

"Very well. Then who will start?" Seto said with a nod.

"I will." Seto nodded again.

"Very well…Start!" The pigeon flew from its roost and the seconds slowly began to tick by. Once the stopwatch showed 9 seconds, the collector surged forward and stopped it and the pendulum swung by microseconds after, groaning loudly as it did so. The man and Seto looked down at the watch.

"9.35 seconds. How do you like them apples?" Seto smirked.

"You're not bad…So I suppose it's my turn now." The pigeon vanished back into its hovel and the collector backed away a little. "…Start." The pigeon flew out and the stopwatch activated.

_"Let's see that smug attitude you had back at the shop now you little brat…" _the collector's thoughts faltered when he noticed Seto's eyes were closed. The pendulum began to swing towards them, still groaning. Seto's eyes flashed open and he placed his hand on the watch but didn't press the button until the pendulum was inches from the pigeon.

Once the large object had continued on its way the two men looked at the watch.

"9.95 SECONDS?!" the collector roared.

"Looks like I win the game," Seto said.

"NO!" Blank, blue eyes glared at the collector. "This was just a test! The next one is the real thing!" Seto blinked.

"A test?" He shrugged. "Very well, if you say so…Then-"

"Wait! This time, I'm over here," the collector barked as he moved to the side Seto stood on. The teenager glanced at him with a knowing smirk.

"Very well." Seto moved to the other side. "…Start." The pigeon appeared again and the collector smirked.

_"I figured out his strategy. One side's more favorable and lets your hand escape at the last second. I would've thought it would be a bit difficult sine the numbers were hidden by the bird but that's not the case…Now!" _The man surged forward and Seto's smirk grew a little. The man froze. "_Hold on. Something seems different from before." _The pendulum's tell-tale groaning began but from the other side. _"No! It's coming from this side?! If I stay here! I'll be in the way!" _The man tried moving his hand.

Seto closed his eyes as two noises joined the pendulum's groaning: the man's hand making a painful _CRUNCH! _and the man's cry of pain.

"Looks like you can't play anymore," Seto said as his hand moved towards the watch. "And it appears that I've truly won this back." The man latched onto Seto's wrist.

"Hold it! There's no way you're taking this from me! Forget this game! This D-Shock is…" The man's voice failed him when he looked into Seto's blazing eyes as the pendant around his neck flashed.

"How pathetic," Seto growled.

"What…?" Seto's eyes narrowed.

"The Doors of Madness open for another," Seto said. A loud ticking filled the man's ears and his arms began to tingle. Slowly, he removed his wounded hand from under his other arm where he'd been holding it. Where the deep cut was on the back of his hand were gears as if his limb was a face-less watch. The man released Seto's hand and leapt back as he yanked his sleeves up.

"What's going on?!" he screamed as he saw all his watches melding and becoming one with his flesh. Seto looked back at the man as he stuffed the D-Shock into his pocket and lifted Kisara into his arms gently so her head rested against his shoulder. "This isn't normal! SOMEONE HELP ME!" the man screamed as the doors flew open for Seto and he started his way up the stairs.

* * *

><p>"Y-You found it?!" Tristan asked as Kisara produced the yellow watch from Seto's pocket. She was situated comfortably on his lap as Tristan gingerly took the watch from her. "You did! You really found it!"<p>

"You said it was near the stairs?" Joey asked. Seto nodded. "How did it get there?" Téa turned to her friend.

"Also, two things…First off, what happened to your neck Kisara?" Kisara felt the slightly-bruised area and shrugged.

"As much as I'd love to joke about it…I don't remember." Téa shook her head.

"Second thing, since when are you two so lovey-dovey?" she asked. Kisara and Seto looked at each other before snapping away, both their faces turning somewhat red. Seto sat Kisara down on the bench before turning his back on the group and a crying Tristan.

"Oh thank you, you two! With this…I can finally face my beloved Melody again!" Tristan threw himself on Kisara and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Thank you so much Kisara!"

* * *

><p>The school bell rang loudly as the group blinked in surprise at Melody, who was holding an ad.<p>

"Perfume?" Téa asked. Melody nodded.

"Yeah! This Sunday only the Emperor department store mambo line lady perfume is specially on sale! Melody's been waiting for a day like this!" Suddenly, her face became somewhat downcast. "But I'm sure the line'll be super long…" Tristan puffed out his chest.

"Don't you worry about a thing Melody. Leave the long line waiting to me!" Melody began jumping up and down, clapping her hands.

"Oh! Thank you so much Tristan!" she said beaming. The rest of the group sighed deeply.

"Here we go again," Téa said.

"I don't think they make something to help this kind of stupidity," Seto said. Kisara, Joey and Mokuba nodded in sync as Melody continued laughing for joy, her reclaimed D-Shock sending mid-afternoon sunlight all around the classroom.

* * *

><p><strong>Phoenix: Two in one day?! I am on a roll! But man am I tired. <strong>

**Cerberus: What she means by that is make her time worthwhile people. Show your appreciation! Isn't there an Author's Appreciation day or something here?**

**Phoenix: Never mind him. But please leave a review and hopefully we'll see each other soon. BYE!**


End file.
